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 is actually Shopping with Meredity.

She sent me the link almost two months ago. I have no excuse for not using it, as I haven't done a Shopping segment since December.

Snail Masks.

I guess 'clay' is just too pedestrian for some.

While I suppose I could go and read the product information, that seems like it would take all the fun out of a very gross-sounding piece of commerce.

Is it slow-acting, or is it just made up of ground-up snails? Or does it crawl over your face? Either way: ick.

As I went to amazon to find the product that Ditto sent to me, I will admit that I'm less surprised that it exists and more that there are so. fucking. many.  different kinds of this stuff.

Of course, as I scrolled down, I happened to see something that made me chuckle more than snails on a face:  Donkey Milk Skin Mask.

...I'd make a joke, but I try not to go for the lobs.

Beauty and the Beast

I have not seen Disney's animated Beauty and the Beast. I have see Jean Cocteau's La Belle et la Bête, well, because I'm gay.

I did not see the Linda Hamilton / Ron Perlman thingy that was on TV pre-Terminator movies.

To be honest, I have no intention of seeing the new people version of Beauty & the Beast, but.....there is something about a boycott that makes me want to plunk down the dollars.   Oh, I might buy the ticket, but there's no way I'm sitting through that.

For those who missed it: the boycott is for a moment that could be construed as 'gay'. People in the south are every so upset by this. Theaters are not going to carry the movie because....homos.

I guess the girl-on-beast thing is ok. I mean, it is the south, I'm sure it's ok.

So, how to make Beauty even that more gay?  Well........like this.

I guess besides being super queeny, it's semi-funny. And what else is funny is that you don't even have to have seen the original to get it. And it's good, bad lip synching is pretty good.






Song by: Stevie Nicks

Best for Last

We are two movies behind in our goal of 24.  That is assuming we do two movies per month. We were good.............for the first week of January.  Then zilch.

Me thinks I've overreached.

We shall see.

But at least I know we'll hit three movies this year, even if we have to wait for December to get to #3.







Song by: Adele

Dick

“That’s what America is about, a land of dreams and opportunity,’’ he said. “There were other immigrants who came here in the bottom of slave ships, worked even longer, even harder for less. But they too had a dream that one day their sons, daughters, grandsons, granddaughters, great-grandsons, great-granddaughters, might pursue prosperity and happiness in this land.”

Is there a dick bigger than Ben Carson?

The answer, of course, is rhetorical. But to be on the safe side, the answer is "no".



I'd say - almost - that I could see this coming from any white man (or Kelleyanne) in this administration.  I'm sure they thought 40 acres and a mule was government overreach. And I should not be so stupid to believe that an educated (you don't get through med school on charm) man, let alone a black one, would / could ever think something like the above, let alone say it........aloud.....in public.......to his own employees.

And let's think about this too......

Forget 'what the fuck', let's go with 'WHY the fuck?'

How does the story of slaves (or "immigrants") even factor into HUD and it's every day operations? And can you say "immigrant" in this administration without it followed by, "deport"?

The Department of Housing and Urban Development was stunned by the uproar and spent part of the afternoon responding to the news media on Twitter.


Bull. Shit.   I'm calling it.

The hired spokesman spent the afternoon responding and was stunned. Well, actually, the rest of HUD was stunned too.......but not at the uproar, but by their new boss.

I know I've said this before and I will again and again...........but how can this administration get any worse?  Or dumber?



Song by:  the Dandy Warhols

My Music Monday

Erik's theme this month. March = St. Patrick's Day, I guess......and not college basketball.

So when he suggested musicians from Ireland (after two other failed suggestions), one would think you'd go right to U2 (which we would later "promised" to try to keep away from) ....and they were a quick second, but my first thought was what would become Erik's first artist as well:  Van Morrison.

And I will taunt Mr. R U. Bright (?) with choosing the most obvious Morrison song there could be. Don't get me wrong - "Brown Eyed Girl" is an incredible song.......that you hear a thousand drunk people sing along to (present company included) .....or worse, to which they karaoke.  {shudder}

I almost - almost - went with "Moondance", which is another incredible song. As is "Someone Like You" and even "Wild Night" (though I think I like the Mellencamp / Ndegeocello version better).

But I'm going with the title track of the first physical Morrison album I ever bought back in 1978: "Wavelength".  I played the song and disk to death.

It's funny - back then I considered Morrison an "old" artist, as he was recording in the 60s. But Wavelength was his 10th disk. He's had at least 20 releases since this.  The man is a prolific machine.

The keyboards / synth on "Wavelength" are not typical Morrison, but it was the late '70s, all musical bets were off.

I think you'll have to bare (bear?) through the first minute until the song truly launches.

Listen

Do not buy into SCROTUS' tweets regarding Obama wiretapping Dump Dower.

It's distraction. He's trying to show us something shiny to have us look away from something. Maybe it's Sessions / Kushner / Flynn and fuck knows who else has been licking Putin's butthole via and envoy or ambassador.

Or maybe it's about something of which we are not yet aware. Because we know....tick tick tick........with this administration, something else is coming.

Mind you, Dipshit Dump has zero proof. But that is his M.O. He doesn't need it. He just takes to the Twatter ...puts a number of exclamation points behind it - and somehow it becomes gospel.

But I believe all it is, is distraction.

And it's working. Every banner on every news show is carrying it. We the people, fall for his shit over and over again. Yet he and his cronies are the ones still prattling on about 'fake news'.....and they don't even get the irony.  Or they're just out and out mocking the U.S. population. This time, I'm going for the latter.

Wasn't SCROTUS just saying complaining last week something about the unwritten guidelines of former presidents not saying anything bad about the current one?

He was speaking of Obama, but wouldn't Shrub be in that category too, who kind of mentioned the racist shit in this White House has got to stop?

But even if Dump thinks that protocol is some kind of standard - he clearly does not believe it to be reciprocal. There is no way that man could ever hold his tongue or an non-verbalized thought. Still, accusing a former president of wiretapping his building?

It should be noted that this is a man who was calling head's of state and lord knows who else on an unsecured Android phone. I have to believe Tim Cook is praising Jebus that SCROTUS isn't an Apple man. It sounds like if any half-decent hacker wanted to get into his data it wouldn't be that difficult. Who needs the NSA to tap the phones?

However, if the stories have been about how much the Dump team has been in touch with Russia - and now it's not a question of if, just how often - will the claims eventually be, Obama knew of this contact and did nothing?

They say the first 100 days are the most important in any presidency. I don't believe that - I mean, yeah, I'll say it, "9/11".  So it wasn't true for Shrub. But if it is - then SCROTUS is squandering away his time.

...or maybe he's not.....and he's doing all the things he's doing and we are not looking......because of 'mean tweets'.



Song by: Tears for Fears

Brother Sister

Saturday.  We know what that means.

Shep likes my side of the bed best of all. I have to move him every single night. 

Worth it. 

Klose Up Kitty. 

I love my Sophie. 

He really loves the radiant heat floors. 

And there's never a moment of rest. 

But Sophie doesn't get much 1:1 time with her dad these days. I (and she) will take it where she can get it. 

Song by: Brand New Heavies

To Russia With Love

So - your National Security Advisor resigns over reports that he spoke to Russian officials post-election and pre-inauguration and then lied about it to Mike Pence....and no doubt others.

Now your Attorney General - the keeper of the laws - had undisclosed talks with a Russian Ambassador during the GOP convention. And lied about it happening. And he's still employed.

First off - I LOVE that no one is actually talking about the fact that a Russian Ambassador was at the GOP convention. But the heart of the matter is that Jeff Sessions (pictured to your left....I swear it's him!) lied about the event. Because again - he is the keeper of the laws of the country. And lying just seems.........wrong.

Oh wait. Wait. Sorry.  He he denied misleading Senator Al Franken, Democrat of Minnesota, when he said during his confirmation hearing that he had not met with Russian officials about the Trump campaign......though he totally did.

Oh wait. Wait. Sorry.  Yes.  That totally is lying.

Or, his comment “not aware of any of those activities” when me, Al Franken {think about it.....think about it....} asked that there was a report of Dump surrogates exchanged information with Russia during the campaign.

So if not an out and out liar, then he has full-on dementia?  Does he know David Cassidy?  Or maybe he only thinks he knows David Cassidy?

Either way - do you want a man who can't recall facts to be heading our justice system?  Can't a defendant now argue that withholding the truth - or alternative facts - be ok and that they can't convict on that?

...well Randi, blow jobs do not impact national security.............if you do it correctly.




Song by: Matt Monro

Hungry Like the Wolf

In my never-ending quest to be butch, I somewhat failed again.

710 got tickets to the Cavs game the other night. Part of me wanted to go. Part of me wanted to stay home with Shep. We finally decided it would be best to do something that wasn't couch-dwelling.

The seats were good. The food was fair, as you'd expect at a sporting event. Blobby had no alcohol, as it was a school night.

And actually it was a good game, even though Kevin Love is probably out for the season.  {sigh}.

But the other sick or injured player were back, including LeBron....who had a good game. Not as good as Kyrie......the one who thinks the world is flat.

No. I'm not kidding. And I don't think he was either.

I guess he doesn't know the earth is round........like a basketball.

There were quite a few times I thought we might lose, but in the end we were the champions. Yay us.


If you haven't been to a pro basketball game lately, it's only half about the game. The contests during televised commercial breaks, or the presentations during half-time seem to be what it is all about. Oh, and the "dancing" whores.  I am so sorry - - cheerleaders. I meant cheerleaders.

At one point, during whatever routine they were doing, to whatever song that was playing, 710 turned to me and said: are they dancing to the song we are hearing?

They were and they weren't.  I'm guessing they have three routines - and they rotate them regardless if they're playing a hip hop song or Bon Jovi. Silly 710 - trying to put logic to boots and boobs. Because that's all people were seeing.  I mean, except for the gays.

As for my butch fail, the highlight of my evening might not have been the opportunity to cash in on 10 free chicken McNuggets (if you present a ticket to McDs after the Cavs score 100 points or more, you get deep fried poultry parts.......for no cost!).

No, it was the live version of Hungry Hungry Hippos.  Sorry - only one "hungry' as not to violate registered trademarks.

People supine on carts with buckets with people to push them....and in costume.  40 some balls in the center of the court and a whistle and timer.  Yes, see the title image.

The one who gets the most balls wins (it is like dating.....well....gay-dating) $75 to be used at the Cavs team shop....which gets you about 82% of a shirt.

On the upside, I was able to chat intelligently about the game the next day at work. And never once did I mention Hungry Hungry Hippos.




Song by: Duran Duran

Classless Clown

You know, there are days I have nothing to blog about and then days when I can't get it into just one post.

Granted, many a-thing has been keeping me from writing about current political shit - like losing the Oscar thingy, and baking my infamous Prune Surprise Press Cookies™for a certain "someone".  Shhhh. It'll be our secret.

So....let's just start off with the Jews.

Sure, he started off his State of the Union address be denouncing anti-Semitism.

Well, I heard he did - I certainly wasn't clicking on that. I turned on something slightly less caustic: the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. I decided to catch a group of catty, vicious, silicone-injected women with no personalities, over watching SCROTUS.

In a way, he had to say something pro-Jew, considering earlier in the day the stories leaking that he implied that maybe Jews were ruining their own cemeteries or calling-in threats to their local JCCs to make others look bad.

Look it up. He did.

************************************

Then there was the whole blaming anyone else on that Navy Seal's death. Everyone else. I think it is fairly safe to day that SCROTUS doesn't own the placard: the Buck Stops Here.  I applaud the father who refused to meet with him.

Would it have been so fucking hard to say "we lost him", meaning the Seal? No....it was "they". Dump has no culpability.

He's a coward.

************************************

He's a coward who says we don't win wars anymore.

"I have to say when I was young in high school and college, everybody used to say we never lost a war, we never lost a war."

Nor has he ever read a history book. But that's fake history.

When he was in college, he got a deferment......or five. And if I recall my history, I don't remember Vietnam being all that victorious.

To be fair he did say, "everybody use to say..."  Because he only heard we never lost a war. Once again, he didn't do the work himself. He used audible Cliff Notes. Much like the intel he gets on Sweden from Fox "News".

************************************

Now there is the back-pedaling on immigration - and that he's "open" to a legal pathway.

Perhaps someone told him that the Masters candidate in Russian poetry won't ever clean the bathroom at a Carl's Jr - or that if everyone had a college degree, someone would still have to polish the gold on the outside of his residences.

************************************

Then of course, the piece of pièce de résistance - for the week, possibly for his presidency:

"I have to tell you, it’s an unbelievably complex subject,” President Donald Trump told a group of governors at the White House yesterday. “Nobody knew that health care could be so complicated.”

Nobody?  NOBODY?

Dude - you're a dick.

What scares me is, not only does he actually believe it, now all those dick-knobs who pulled the lever for him think, "geeze, maybe he's on to something!"

************************************

I'll be honest....I don't even know what to do with any of this. It's so far out of the realm of reality it just baffles me.



I will give SCROTUS this:  every time I think he can't top lower himself, he goes one better.



Song by: the Branco Heist

I'm a Loser

10.

That is how many categories Mike and I differed on.  Usually it is like 4-6, leaving the margin of error to be very small for a win or loss.

(...and for the record, Blobby did not "open a door" to being called ugly. I was baited and trapped. And yes, the 'ugly' comment might have been taken slightly out of context, but it was a fine fine line.)

I did miss Mike not being home for the broadcast. Well, he did eventually make it home, but he was pulled a few different ways....with Otis and luggage and all.

The last few award shows - whichever they've been - we've live-chatted during. It's made for great fun {of course, I'm only speaking for myself}.  Personally, since he was out in Southern California, I'm not sure why he just didn't pull a few of this strings and get an invite to the shindig.

I guess he's waiting to use that card to get something really really nice..........like a sit down with legendary Oscar winner: Adrian Brody.

Now, Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway might say I had won, but the makers of La La Land thought the same thing, so.......

One never knows where this could go...or how it could turn out.  .....though I think we all know the reality of it......I'm La La Land in this situation.

It started out very strong for me. I was up by two. Then by one. Then tied. Then......well......not.

It seems that seeing 24 movies in a year doesn't pay off in these situations. Do you wanna know how many Mike has seen this year?  Do ya?  Do ya???

One.

One fucking movie.  ....and I don't mean pornography. But I don't don't mean that either. Because I just don't know. I was using the word as an adjective, not a verb.

Truth be told, as much as I wanted to stick with the show, especially since Mike finally caught up on Tivo (isn't it cute he still has Tivo......and actually records award shows?). We could have had a funny exchange......except for the fact that it was after 22:30 and they were only at the 11th award, out of 24.

Mike might have given up on beauty sleep a long time ago, but I still at least try to make the valiant effort.

So I had to get up yesterday a.m. and make my way through the other 13 awards via the news. And since it's all "fake news" who even knows if those are the correct winners they published.

A few years ago, Mike "joked" that it would all come down to the 'adapted screen play' and sure enough it kind of did.  That is where he clinched it.

The breakdown goes (and I have to publish it, so Mike does not think I'm cheating):

BEST PICTURE - we both lost

BEST DIRECTOR - we both won

BEST ACTOR - Blobby wins

BEST ACTRESS - we both won

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR - we both won

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS - we both won

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY - we both won

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY - Mike wins

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY - we both won

BEST FILM EDITING - we both lost

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS - Mike wins

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN - Mike wins

BEST COSTUME DESIGN -  we both lose

BEST MAKEUP & HAIRSTYLING -  Blobby wins

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE - we both won

BEST ORIGINAL SONG - we both won

BEST SOUND EDITING - Blobby wins

BEST SOUND MIXING - We both lose

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE - Mike wins

BEST ANIMATED SHORT FEATURE- we both won

BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT FEATURE - we both lose

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE - we both won

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT FEATURE - we both lose

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM - we both won


4-3.  It's like a crappy hockey score. Or possibly any Cleveland Browns game.

Now I am on the hook for some kind of treat to send his way.  Maybe a gift card to Krispy Kreme? No - he probably already has a lifetime rewards membership card there - right?

Of course, I could just get treats for Otis. That way I'd fulfill my obligation of a baked treat sent to his address.......and it helps Mike keep that tankini bod.

Whatever I send, I'm 100% sure he'll be gracious about the entire thing.  (where's that eyeroll emoji when you need it?)



Song by: the Beatles

My Music Monday

O.M.G.

Haircut 100 has a website. I just assumed they had all been working a chip shop before Al Gore ever invented the Internet.

That said, they got .net and not a .com.

Mind you, under 'shows', the last update was 2009.....so......there's that.

As we close out the article of clothing theme, I bring you "Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl)".

While I don't think it was as big of a hit as their "Love Plus One", I believe my featured song is better.

Down to the Wire

It's best to remember, it's about who or what will win, not what who or what you want to win.

That's the key to this game. To winning the game, that is.

Unfortunately, I let my preferences get in the way - and I pay the price by sending cookies to Boston.

By now, the USPS must think that I'm some kind of mule......and Weight Watchers must think Mike is just M.I.A.

Yes, I'm starting with a weight joke. But in a text two days ago, he basically called me ugly.  We have a very complicated relationship.  Clearly.

Actually, Mike sent a message to remind me of the 6th Annual Academy Award Guessing Game®. In truth, I had not forgotten, but I didn't realize the date had crept up, thinking I still had at least a week, if not two.

As it goes, I'm spit balling here. I have no idea. Part of me thinks I'd be happy if I chose wrong and La La Land went home winless......in every category.  And if I lose, Mike's BMI goes up......so it's kind of a win-win when you think about it. At least for me.

So here are my selections......


BEST PICTURE Arrival Fences Hacksaw Ridge Hell or High Water Hidden Figures La La Land Lion Manchester by the Sea Moonlight

Crowd pleaser. Though I think there were at least two better choices of the nominees. 

BEST DIRECTOR Denis Villeneuve, Arrival Mel Gibson, Hacksaw Ridge Damien Chazelle, La La Land Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester by the Sea Barry Jenkins, Moonlight

I though Kenneth Lonergan had a better vision and story. It's not meant to be this year. 

BEST ACTOR Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea Andrew Garfield, Hacksaw Ridge Ryan Gosling, La La Land Viggo Mortensen, Captain Fantastic Denzel Washington, Fences

I'm going out on a limb here. Affleck deserves it. Gosling's performance, while good, is ultimately the lightest of the bunch here. And Denzel already has at least one Oscar. If Mike doesn't vote the same way on this one, it could be the category that loses / wins the entire thing. 

BEST ACTRESS Isabelle Huppert, Elle Ruth Negga, Loving Natalie Portman, Jackie Emma Stone, La La Land Meryl Streep, Florence Foster Jenkins

I haven't seen Hubbert's performance, but I might like it if she won. Portman was not that good. Hell, Stone was not that great, but she's the favourite. 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR Mahershala Ali, Moonlight Jeff Bridges, Hell or High Water Lucas Hedges, Manchester by the Sea Dev Patel, Lion Michael Shannon, Nocturnal Animals

Hollywood might try to over-correct their whiteness last year, which could give Ali the edge. I think it should be Hedges, but it's not about what I think. {sigh}  It never is {/sigh}   (that is an html joke)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Viola Davis, Fences Naomie Harris, Moonlight Nicole Kidman, Lion Octavia Spencer, Hidden Figures Michelle Williams, Manchester by the Sea

Didn't see Moonlight, so Harris (whomever she may be) could take it. I'm guessing it's Davis. 

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY Hell or High Water La La Land The Lobster Manchester by the Sea 20th Century Women

I so want it the Lobster to win something. But I think Lonergan should get it. La La Land might not be adapted, but "original" it isn't. 

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY Arrival Fences Hidden Figures Lion Moonlight

Because it's August Wilson. 

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY Arrival La La Land Lion Moonlight Silence

It has lots of primary colours and lots of people mumble-singing on a freeway. Academy voters are easily distracted and swayed by shit like that. 

BEST FILM EDITING Arrival Hacksaw Ridge Hell or High Water La La Land Moonlight

I have no clue When in doubt vote with the masses. 

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS Deepwater Horizon Doctor Strange The Jungle Book Kubo and the Two Strings Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN Arrival Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Hail, Caesar! La La Land Passengers

I'm sure some voters will think making Los Angeles look pretty is good production design. I thought the Cohen brothers did a great job with 50's look of Hollywood. 

BEST COSTUME DESIGN Allied Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Florence Foster Jenkins Jackie La La Land

Did you see Meryl's headdress? 

BEST MAKEUP & HAIRSTYLING A Man Called Ove Star Trek Beyond Suicide Squad

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE Jackie La La Land Lion Moonlight Passengers

Nobody saw Passengers to know if it even had a score. It will be La La Land, because it's "a musical". 

BEST ORIGINAL SONG “Audition (The Fools Who Dream),” La La Land “Can’t Stop the Feeling,” Trolls “City of Stars,” La La Land “The Empty Chair,” Jim: The James Foley Story “How Far I’ll Go,” Moana

This could be the other deciding factor in a Mike or Blobby win (or loss). I'm thinking "City of Stars", but I'm trying not to rule out the Lin Manuel Miranda thing. This could be his EGOT (though he'll get that when they inevitably make Hamilton into a movie). 

BEST SOUND EDITING Arrival Deepwater Horizon Hacksaw Ridge La La Land Sully

I don't know. Why not Arrival? 

BEST SOUND MIXING Arrival Hacksaw Ridge La La Land Rogue One: A Star Wars Story 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi

The opening number for La La Land was so badly mixed, I thought it was the theater sound-system. But I've heard from a number of people they thought the same thing. 

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE Kubo and the Two Strings Moana My Life as a Zucchini The Red Turtle Zootopia

Kubo was still the best movie I saw in 2016. 

BEST ANIMATED SHORT FEATURE “Blind Vaysha” “Borrowed Time” “Pear Cider and Cigarettes” “Pearl” “Piper”

It's Pixar.....and it's cute. 

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE Fire at Sea  I Am Not Your Negro  Life Animated  O.J.: Made in America 13th

It's 1995 again. So it's all about O.J. 

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT Extremis 4.1 Miles  Joe’s Violin  Watani: My Homeland  The White Helmets

Because it was the first one on the list. 

BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM  Ennemis Interieurs La femme et Le TGV  Silent Nights  Sing Timecode

See right above. 

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM  Land of Mine  A Man Called Ove  The Salesman Tanna  Toni Erdmann

Because the only clips I saw were Elle (not even nominated) and Toni Erdmann, which got decent reviews, but looked atrocious. 


Maybe I'll be sending baked goods to a friend.....maybe he'll be sending them to me.  You'll get the final word on Tuesday.


Song by: Crash Vegas

Real Good Looking Boy

Shep and Sophie Porn.....or smut.

It's Saturday, the best blog day of the week. Of course, I'm a little biased.

Shep meets a Frenchie. 

They'd be a cute couple. 

Sun-drenched Sophie

Shep crashes in the dressing room. His new favourite carpet. 

Shep makes the best of his office captivity. Looking for squirrels the lazy way. 

Same chair. Same whap. Different day. 

Handsome man on his walk. He LOVES this wall. 

Behind him is Squirrel Central. 

Song by: the Who

App of the Month

5 Calls. 5 minutes. 5 days.

Why not make my App of the Month* political?

"They" have made government even more difficult than it already had been. Maybe we need a simple phone app to make it more difficult for them.

As the description say, 'Turn your passive resistance into active resistance".

You download the app (duh), enter your zip code, and then there is a list of 8-10 items and you choose what is important to you - five of them, so you don't make the title of the app a liar.

As you click on one - it brings up the issue and a list of people to contact who would be involved. For one it might be the Senate, or your House representative.

It's a call. Chances are you will get an answering machine, but you leave your message anyways. You keep hearing about the congress members who have been avoiding the fuck out of town halls, so don't let them not hear your voice.

Clicking on the representative dials the phone - you don't have to look it up. Just leave your message. But be calm, cool and collect. They're never going to react to insane behaviour......no matter how bat shit crazy they clearly are.

In the first sentence I say "5 days".  Because the idea is to do it during business days. And if the issues list doesn't update, take another swipe at the ones you've done before. Make your mark. Make your voice heard.



*App of the "Month" is not to be taken literally. 

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!

Cover albums are a risky gamble. I've said it before in other reviews. g-d help me, I know I'll say it again in the future. And while I love Alison Krauss, her talent doesn't make her any less susceptible to "covers failure".

Windy City is her new album (sans Union Station - though three of the four members make an appearance).

Krauss' voice is perfect - even though the album took three years to make, due to throat ailments. The arrangements are good, as is the instrumentation / orchestration.

So then why is most of this album boring as fuck?

Krauss mixes lesser known (or not known at all) songs with a few better known ones. That's a plus. I always feel if you do songs that are too popular, you're setting yourself up to fail by comparison. And don't get me wrong - here and there she does too.

The disk starts strong with "Losing You" - it's well done from start to finish. "It's Goodbye and So-Long to You" would have been better as a k.d. lang Shadowland song, than here, minus the New Orleans vibe that it ends up being. It seems a lot longer than 3:11.

I am a big fan of Krauss' take on "I Never Cared for You". I was never a fan of Willie Nelson's version, but this one truly works....and works well. And I am digging "Alone Am I".  Simple and clean.  The problem is, that it follows a few songs that are just mundane and by that point, boredom is setting in.

As it goes with the more popularly known songs, is anyone going to sing "Gentle on My Mind" better than Glenn Campbell?  It get it's a different arrangement and execution, but it doesn't work.

And honestly, does anyone in the world needs another cover of "You Don't Know Me"?

The surprise isn't that Krauss covers it, it's that she took so long to do so. Every other established Nashville artist checks that song off their list early on in their career - almost like it's a mandate. No offense to Krauss, but she brings nothing new to it - and how could she when the song has been recorded 4,491 times?

Krauss gets points for trying something somewhat new (even if it's old), but in the big picture it doesn't gel with me. There are selections here and there, but as a unit, it is not all that cohesive.

And not that I'm looking for Windy City to be extended, but when Krauss' last solo disk is 17 years old, and her last Union Station disk is six years old - you kind of expect more than 34 minutes.

Alison Krauss has created high standards with her past works - and that can be hard to live up to. While she tries valiantly, ultimately, the song choices don't get her there. Not this time.

I Think I Love You

Apparently, it's not just a song.

David Cassidy might not really know if he does love you.

Too soon??

The poor dude has dementia. Or......that's what he's calling his fall from sobriety (and from a stage).

Yes, I get it's all very tasteless......but so am I.  I'm sure you all had to pick up on that by now, no?

On a semi-related note.......

My first album was the Partridge Family's debut.

Well - let me clarify. My father brought me home two records on the same day - the aforementioned tv band (actually, the series had not yet debuted) and an album by Gilbert O'Sullivan - because what 1st grader doesn't need an disk that has a song about suicide?

The bigger mystery to me was: how did my dad even know about either of these things? Certainly not from my mother. I was the fourth child.......she couldn't be bothered to pick up on queues. And hell, even I didn't know who Gilbert O'Sullivan was.

Maybe they meant to get me the Mikado.

Even as a wee gay lad I never saw the appeal of Cassidy. Being a super wee gay lad, I liked Laurie Partridge way better.  What was that about?  They say kids can be sexually confused, I guess I was.

That first Partridge disk was also an eye-opener?  They didn't write or play a thing?  I mean, except for Shirley & Keith. Oh, Blobby was devastated.  On the other hand, it got me into a life-long habit ot devouring liner notes.  .....that is until digital music took that away from me.

I'd say I've gotten off-course, but I'm not sure I have. I'm not sure there was a course with which to begin.

Oh oh oh....there is this.

The pubes aside: should I be worried that we have never seen Patti Smith and David Cassidy in the same place at the same time?

Song by: the Partridge Family

the Attack of the Giant Ants

So, I took to Facebook - kind of - two days ago after seeing this.

I say "kind of" because I didn't post it myself. I commented on a 'friend' who posted it.

First - I'll start off by commenting on John Roberts (?), who basically asked SCROTUS if it is fake news if they quote him on things he makes up....basically, his total misinformation about the Electoral College numbers he got.

They are not the biggest of Republicans or Democrats. Both Bushes, and both Obama elections were larger in electoral votes. SCROTUS' response was priceless.....and frightening.

"well, I don't know, I was given that information. I was given — I actually, I've seen that information around."

I don't know, but I'm going to stand up in front of the press corp and quote it as fact. He'll just repeat anything someone tells him?

Is he the Ron Burgundy of presidents?

With the Sweden "terrorist attack" - the trend continues.

The man has multiple national security agencies working for him - and he gets his intel from Fox "news"?   ....which btw.......I don't hear SCROTUS calling them 'fake news' when clearly they totally reported a fake story that DJT repeated.

But oddly enough, in my FB comment, I didn't rant or rail.

So far no one has taken the bait to respond.

And it's not bait. I. am. baffled.

I get that some news organizations lean one way or the other in terms of how they deliver the news - Fox included. But the out and out misrepresentation of a non-existent event just wows me. And that the president of the fucking united states takes it as gospel because he saw it on tv is terrifying to me.

I know there are a few SCROTUS-loving folks who claim not to read my blog, but do. And if you can comply with the aforementioned "rules" of engagement, I'd love to hear your take. Maybe you side with how he gets his information, or maybe your don't  - either way, speak up.


On a side note: I do find it odd that SCROTUS doesn't use the SCROTUS twitter account, only his personal one.  Is it ego? Is it that he can't say things on a government account that he can on his own? Does he not truly think of himself as commander in chief?



Song by:  Blondie

My Music Monday

C'mon - if you're gonna do a theme with articles of clothing, footwear has to be part of it, no?  And I refuse to do Nancy Sinatra. Yes, I own that song, but I refuse to be a cliché.

Sure, I had my choices of songs, but opted to go with 1993's "Walking in My Shoes" by Depeche Mode  ....because I'm gay.

What gay man - of a certain age - didn't love Depeche Mode back in this era?

DM has a new disk coming out in a few months. I have to say, some '80s acts really keep plugging away - and successfully. I mean, after you heard "People are People" 35 years ago, did you really thing they'd still be putting out new music?

Yeah - I didn't think so. But then, neither did I.

Site of the Month

So, apparently Sean Spicer doesn't know, or can't be bothered to learn name of the press corp?

I really don't know. The most I've seen of the man is when he's being played by a woman.  ....and you know that has just go to tee him (and the entire administration off).

So, when I say I don't know him, I can't be bothered (i.e. stand) to listen to him or his briefings.

I'm assuming he can't be bothered (i.e. stand) to learn the name of the press corp - if this month's Site of the Month is remotely accurate.

I present to you, the Sean Spicer-ized My Name.


....and apparently I'm

...so let it be written, so let it be told.


What's yours?