12 of 12

So I'm doing my 191st 12 of 12.

Normally it is 12 pictures taken on the 12th of the month. Since I only post once per day, you get my images the following day. All pictures taken with my iPhone. Click images to enlarge, if you choose.

Created by Chad Darnell and picked up from, what I can tell, any number of random bloggers who then link back to him and vice versa. Chad is no longer doing this, nor is successor coordinating the linking of other 12 of 12'ers anymore.

03:53. Early breakfast. Had time to make oatmeal, but not time to eat it. 

Cherrios goes down faster. 

04:20. Early morning view of downtown. 

04:55. Gym all to myself - for a few. 

Same gym; different location. 

06:57. Post workout. 

08:53. Mid-morning "snacks". 

Full disclosure, I had already eaten my first banana. 

10:41. Barbara was always a 'bitchy flibbertigibbet'. 

Oddly, I had never read Slaughterhouse Five. So now I am. 

13:52. Picking up my bib for my first race of 2026. 

14:36. Picking up things needed or that I missed in the bigger grocery run earlier this week. 

14:42. Picking up you know who from daycare. 

18:48. One reason for the grocery was laundry detergent - because I had laundry to do. 

19:55. Super lazy dinner. Mini air-ftyer pizzas on garlic bread. 

Meh. It was a good experiment, and I learned a lot, but this was like the first pancake, except we at it. 

20:30. I had done all the other NYT puzzles. But the Thursday big crossword is a bear. 

a Trans Woman Saved My Life

It was going to be a 'nothing' post today - as the muses seemed to be on PTO, should they exist at all. 

It could have been a weather post, as NE Ohio was just whacky yesterday with wind, torrential rain, lightning, and a temp drop of 30 degrees yesterday. But I just did a weather related post to fill air space not that long ago. 

So, I'll just leave it with this. 

 It seems as logical choice of the dozen the Dept of Defense has given. 

The only reason they haven't given is: Epstein File Diversion.  That would be too on the nose. 

Song by: the Path

Third Rate Romance

I got a gift card from a woman at work. A belated valentine, as it were. 

I was not the only one. I'm not her valentine - I have one. ...with a dangling Y chromosome. 

And even if I didn't, this gift would not woo me for attention. 

Sure sure........$20 buys some tequila tacos when / if I ever venture out. I am never turning down "tacos". 

I am just horrified at the candy choice. 

That's not even hyperbole. 

No - I love Jolly Ranchers........but Green Apple?  I mean WT actual F?

Deduction told me I was last - or near last - on her list. Or the least thought of. Either way, it didn't bode well for me. 

IF I could find just cherry Jolly Ranchers, that would be ideal. Watermelon can get mixed in there if need be. But then you start towards "grape".  ....and the candy construct starts to deteriorate quickly. 

Granted, green apple might be above whatever their electric blue looking flavour is. Blueberry?  Let's face it, at best it's as if you were at the eye doctor and deciding between 4 or 5 - and it's "about the same".  Shitty. 

So yes, it is the thought that counts. But the thought was green apple - so they're not good thoughts.....in either direction. 

Song by: Rosanne Cash

Daves I Know

I am just SUPER lazy today. 

I haven't seen a shred of news or social media in a few days and it's been grand, yet I also don't see things on which to comment or about which to write. 

While I could have done a nothing post, a week or so ago a Kids in the Hall segment popped up which I've been thinking about since - as the tune is catchy. 

It's a Bruce McCullough led sketch - which only bodes well. Though every time I watch KITH, I change my mind on who is the funniest of the bunch. But I think it's chemistry of the five. On their own outside of the troupe, they rarely are as funny. 

The selection is song oriented, and I think McCullough might be the only one to do musical numbers - be it as Tammy ("And Dance") or singing about a certain breed of dog or the Daves he knows. 

....and honestly, let's give it up for his high-waisted mom jeans and his walk. It's very borderline Ed Grimley.

Song by: Bruce McCullough

My Music Monday

For the most part, I'm stymied by "punk rock". Or what is - and isn't - considered punk. 

To me, the majority of it seems no different than straight forward rock and roll. 

I always feel that people who couldn't really play music or sing, but still got record deals were considered punk as just opposed to being bad.  ....yeah, I'm looking at you Sex Pistols. 

At the time (late '70s) the Clash were considered punk, but I listen(ed) to them then and now and just hear rock music. 

The IDLES are considered punk, and they certainly lean in that direction more than most bands with that genre attached. They have a frenetic energy for sure. Maybe the Hives too. Maybe. Again, I just see it as rock. 

The Menzingers, according to their wiki page, are considered punk as well. I know some of their songs, but not a lot of their work. Some of them have punk-tendencies, but again, it seems like straight forward rock.  .....with which I'm fine. 

I like rock music. 

But the Menzingers have a new song and a new record. "Nobody's Heroes" is a song I find interesting, and not just because the lead singer plays guitar left-handed, the way g-d intended! It is a well put together rock song. 

The song is well put togther and performed. It is hard not to identify with the opening lines: "Just can't make this shit up / Gotta keep your head up / I know it's easier said than done."  Or that could just be my state of mind.

But they are smart enough using the line "Strange premonitions" and clever enough not to follow up with "20/20 hindsight" when most any other band would have sang "20/20 vision".  I applaud that. 

Nothing flashy. Nothing auto-tuned. The basic instrument set. Right now, it's my favourite song of 2026. 

Site of the Month

The (former?) writer from South Park is at it again. 

While I'd love to show you the website he has for jeffreyepstein.com I can't. I mean, I can, but it just takes you to the Trump Kennedy Center.

Toby Morton probably didn't have to spend a ton to snag so many website names, but more surprisingly that no one took Epstein's years ago. I hope he has good plans for it. 

His latest one is Draft Barron Trump. 

Ugh - that was the first time in a long time I actually spelled the last name. 

I will give Morton this: he's buying and putting these things up quickly. But with no finesse.

His sites could be well crafted, but they're fairly rudimentary. I have no screen shots of my first webpage I attempted to design, but it looked a lot like these. 

Still, it's about the public message, right? 

"Allegedly", the White House said Barron is too tall to serve.  LOLLLLLLL. 

There are taller professional basketball players who have served. I'm surprised bone spurs aren't hereditary. 

Still, I think every sitting member of Congress who has children or grandchildren, who are of age (and apparently height) should be out there - and those kids military status........or not. 

I'm all for shame. 

It's no secret that the socio-economic reality is that the un(der)educated and poor make up most of the military. It is one of the options open to them - and it's unfair they take the brunt of the fighting and deaths. 

JFC - just look at that face. Don't you just want to punch it?    No?  Just me? 

Outside

Sun. Snow. Ice. Freezing Rain. Snow. Rain and Sun.  

Don't like the weather?  Wait a day. 

Jumping up at daycare to see me. 

Looking after my niece's cats. Only Pippa came out to get pets while she hissed at me. 

Daycare told me this dog's name, but for the life of me I cannot remember - even a gender. 

Bad Blobby!

Pippa got nicer when I went into the kitchen. 

She wanted wet food. She got it. Willow never showed up. 

Yesterday: 70°F !  

He wasn't coming inside unless dragged there. I can't blame him. It's been a shitty Winter. 

Song by: the Weeknd

Out of Work

Cunty McCuntface is out of a job. 

It popped up in a text from my sister. I then sent the image to my peeps, which is the text chain you're seeing to the left. 

I mean, of course they'll replace her with someone as bad, if not worse. That part wasn't even in play. 

It is that they got rid of her at all. 

(NOTE:  710 had to tell me they didn't even tell HER! She was giving a speech when people's phones started giving new alerts that she had been canned.  I. LOVE. IT. )

Sure, she was ineffective and a liability. But she (and Bondi like her) were distractions from the Oval Office. 

Memes, Social Media Posts, Blog Entries and now and again news organizations focused on their actions - not BLOTUS. 

From my little understanding, she was testifying (again) to some committee or another. She was spreading her legs (allegedly) for Corey Lewandowski who is questionable in just about everything BLOTUS related in the 2016 campaign.  .....but she got to answer those questions while her husband sat in the gallery. Allegedly she scoffed at the questions, but didn't deny the accusation. 

I mean, you're Kristi Fucking Gnome. You've lied thousands of times under oath, what is one more? Just do it. 

I think the bigger issue - though not for BLOTUS, because he's scum with $$ and contracts - was awarding a ~$143M contract to a 'corporation' that had no address, no website, no previous government contracted work, that had been LLC'd eight days (!!!!) prior to the award. 

Yes, I had to look at a clip. 

No doubt, Gnome will go on unemployment and get checks for doing nothing and milking the system - which is of course, pure irony. 

Let's face it, "think tank" jobs are out of reach for this twat. Though lobbying is probably in her near future - or a job at CNN when Paramount takes it over. 

The oil and slime always rise to the top.  

Look at 1600 Pennsylvania. 

.....and this bitch has thrown off my blog posting schedule. 

It's National Oreo Day.   One of the most important days of the year.  Traditional Oreos, that is. None of this bullshit Double Stuff or Thins - and don't even get me started on 'flavours'. 

Song by: Gary U.S. Bonds

Walk Like a Man

I will briefly mention Iran. 

It is 100% meant to be a distraction from the Epstein Files and the Clinton's testimony.  Of this I am certain.

'Tis my understanding the Bill testified the day after Hillary and the day before the "war" launch. 

IF he did, then I'd say there is no question about the attack - as I haven't seen boo about Bill before the oversight committee. You know......because....WAR.

Yes, to Hillary, no to Bill. And let's face it, of the two, one is gonna have more Epstein / BLOTUS 4-1-1 than the other. 

Anyway - YAY for the folks who won't let Epstein shit die just because we are killing lots and lots of civilians. 

Someone was nice enough to "decorate" Lafayette Park (right across from the White House) with the Jeffery Epstein Walk of Fame. 

I'm not 100% sure how far they got, or the degree to their intent. I've looked and only seen a small small handful of 'stars'.........not one of the being BLOTUS or Bill Gates. Or hundreds of others. 

Of course, there is the possibility they didn't have a chance to finish the job.  But I'll take what I can get - and what I could find on the intertubes.

Awwwwww.....someone defaced Elon's. No doubt one of his DOGE stooges. 

....and I'm fine with Clinton being on here. He was on the plane He was on the island. Yes, he probably fucked someone underage. At least two of these things are true. 

So - let's not let the guy who had Epstein killed - and is killing others to avoid talking about Epstein - kill the discovery of all of the Epstein files. 

Song by: the Four Seasons

Cooking with Blobby

I don't have the wherewithal nor fortitude to even scrape the surface of our entry into Iran.  I will say it took at least 16 hours for me to even know it happened. Not listening to, or reading, the news has its benefits. 

So, you know: food.  

Eat. Your. Feelings. Or at least mine. 

Various versions of a recipe kept popping up in my IG feed. And well, I do like Asian cooking. Or eating. I guess cooking too. 

The thing is - these Easy Crispy Pan Dumpings seem more appetizer than dinner. But my take is, if you make enough of them, you can make them a meal. And it was a Sunday night dinner. All bets are off on what and how you eat. 

It's also a semi-cheat version. You don't really cinch the dumplings closed. You cover them and cook them. I supposed if you wanted to you could go the more traditional route, but again: Sunday night dinner!

These are not difficult, but I learned things along the way, as I usually do. 

So let's go!

Ingredients

• 450g ground chicken (or any ground meat) 

• 1/2 cup green onions 

• 2 tbsp light soy sauce 

• 1 tbsp minced garlic 

• 1 tbsp minced ginger 

• 1/3 cup any broth 

• 1/2 tsp chili flakes and black pepper 

• pinch of salt 

• 2 tsp olive oil (to cook) 

• 8-10 dumpling or wonton wrappers optional topping: additional green onions, chili oil, sesame seeds

Procedure

Combing your meat (or faux meat if you go vegan) and all the other ingredients (except the olive oil, wontons and toppings) into a bowl. 

Mix by hand. 

Form into balls. As big or small as you'd like, but knowing a won ton will have to cover it. 

Add and heat your olive oil and place meatballs into the pan. Nothing in the recipe says to turn them. This was my first batch and I didn't, but the second batch I did. Browned them nicely on all sides. 

No worries is you don't - they will come up to temp (165) just leaving them. Again, a more traditional steamed dumpling. 

Cover meatballs with the won ton rappers. Let them cook for a few minutes. I wanted the wrappers to get crispy, because.......

Pour in some additional broth (not tons) and cover. Let these steam until the meat is cooked through. 

Plate them. I drizzled chili crisp over them, a splash of soy, some sesame seeds and additional chopped green onions. 

They tasted great. I think we had six each and then cooked up the rest and put them in the fridge for later. 

I would definately brown the meat more. I know it doesn't really call for it, but it's a personal preference. I'd also cook the won tons more after the dish steams. I'd take off the lid and let them go a few minutes to crisp up. 

It's easy and if you wanted, much of it could be done ahead of time and just cooked off for your appetizer or meal. 

Courage

I said back in 2023 that it would be my last post on my cancer from 30 years prior (at that time). And it is - in term of those regards and specifics. 

In two days, it will be 33 years of being being cleared of Chondrasarcoma. 

But today also brings together three things I love - being cancer free. running. the Hip. 

Terry Fox was a Canadian athlete who became a cancer research activist. Having one leg amputated due to cancer, he had a goal to run across the entire length of Canada to raise money and awareness for cancer research......on an artificial leg.  

This would be prosthetic technology from 1980, not Oscar Pistorius swag. You know, minus the gun and the girlfriend in the bathroom thing. 

The Marathon of Hope. 

His goal: $1 for every Canadian citizen - at the time, 24 million.

Starting in Newfoundland, he would eventually run westward every day for 143 days and over 3,300 miles (almost a full marathon every single day!) before having to abandon his quest - as his cancer returned. He would die about eight months later, but having raised almost $2M for cancer research. 

From there on, there would be Terry Fox Runs throughout Canada - and then spreading to the US,  Europe and Asia - to continue awareness and fundraising. 

As of January 2026, over $1Billion has been raised in his name. With a B. 

At some point I want to be part of that fundraising. I want to be part of one of those runs. It hits close to home for me. I got to keep my leg and my life. 

In 2025, the Tragically Hip gladly allowed the Terry Fox Foundation use their song "Courage" for an ad to promote their runs. Hip lead singer, Gord Downie, died almost a decade before this ad of cancer himself. 

The music provided on the video is the final verse/chorus from yesterday's posted song, but stripped down to only vocal and piano. 

YouTube brought up the ad for me months ago and anytime it pops up, I watch. Every single time. Start to finish. 

Song by: the Tragically Hip

My Music Monday

No surprise I'm a big fan of the Canadian band the Tragically Hip. 

While I have featured a song or two here and there on My Music Monday, their song titles have appeared on non-music video posts throughout the last 2+ decades. 

There is a reasoning behind today's selection, the 1992 single "Courage", but it really comes with tomorrow's post. 

This is not meant to be cryptic per se. I'm actually working backwards. Tomorrow's post was drafted first - and a while ago. I'm more shoehorning this into that upcoming entry. 

App of the Month

Ok - technically not an app, unless you have the NYT Game App. 

And technically this is the App of the Month for last month, but that Kansas / Tran / Driver's License moved things around. 

But two five days ago (well, that I noticed) a new crossword popped up.  

My peeps and I do many of the NYT Games: Strands. Connections. Wordle. Spelling Bee.  

All of those had made appearances here over the years. 

Should I feel inclined I also do Letterbox and Sports Connections. 

When it comes to crosswords, that is different. 

710 and I shared the games section and he does crosswords. But the way it works was if I did it, he couldn't - or he'd see my answers. Ditto if he did Spelling Bee and such. So we stayed in our own corners. 

NYT changed things about 4 months ago. I had to get a separate games account. We could no longer share. This opened up things for both of us. 

So I started doing them. You know, in an attempt to ward of Alzheimers. 

I had been doing the Mini, because 710 didn't find it a challenge. Nor I for the most part. Except that it's timed. THAT is the challenge. I had it down to 24 seconds when we shared an account, but that history is gone for me. On my new account, I have 32 seconds as my fastest. Since there is little chance of doing it faster than 24 seconds again I don't always attempt the Mini. 

And I started the big one too. Mondays are the easiest, with each day getting progressively harder. I can make it through Wednesday with little to no problems. Thursday through Saturday - I just coming away feeling like a dolt. 

Now there is the "Midi".  Somewhere between the Mini and the Full crossword. I've only played twice (well, thrice by the time you read this), but it's doable. As it's only been a few times, I don't know if days will get progressively more difficult or not. 

It is also timed, but right now I'm not focused on that. I will eventually, but for now it is about completion. 

I'll obsess about time later.  Trust me on this. 

Howlin' For You

A variety of pooch pics.  Half of them are Shep. At least half. But there are some neighbor dogs or friend dogs or daycare dogs that made their way in there. 

I love Shep, but I love dogs. It can't always just be about him. 

Daycare IG - in the snow. He's probably tired of it too. 

Unknown daycare dog. He got my attention. 
They all did. 

Nightly ritual. 

After dinner, selecting THE toy with which he wants to play. 

Olive and her croissont. 

It's not real. It squeaks. 

Melting. Kind of. But a pretty-ish day to walk. 

Ollie during the P-Town snow storm '26. 

Daycare - no snow. Indoors. Stupid hound eyes make him look sad. 

All that guy-liner. 

Bailey loving the snow. 

Song by: the Black Keys

Arrested for Driving While Blind

I don't know who knows of whom. 

Steve Hofstetter is a comedian. I've only seen him in clips here and there. While everyone in the world has their own Netflix comedy special (not that they should) I can't say if he is at that level. 

Still, he's fairly active on the socials and he's a big ally:  women, Jews, LGBTQ+. Very very anti-MAGA. For that last one alone I love him. 

His clips?  Meh. They seem to deal more with hecklers than show his comedy. But again: ally. Most of the hecklers are misogynistic, antisemitic and / or homophobic. Why they pay to go to his shows is beyond me. 

Hofstetter released this clip yesterday. I was going to hold off to post it, but decided to move my drafted post until later. 

It's not like Kansas was ever on my list of place which to go back, but now there is just another fucking reason to say away. 

While a comedian, this clips is not meant to be funny.  At all. 

Song by: ZZ Top

Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)

Blurgh. 

I woke up at 03:30 last night. This isn't unusual, sometimes - mostly - I go back to sleep for a bit. But something felt off. 

With my new iPhone, I now use it as my bedside clock. The other one never kept time and this way it lets my phone charge all night while showing the correct time. 

But when I awoke, the clock was dark. This in of itself was not unusual. For whatever reason both 710 and I experience this when we put it in 'clock' mode. Usually just a finger tap takes it back to normal, but nothing. No biggie. 

Still, the house felt 'weird'. It's the only way I can explain it. 

As it turns out, the power was out. Not just for us, but for thousands. 

This too didn't seem too strange, as before bedtime the winds were howling. It was a super cold day, but only due to the wind. 

Still, it was dark. No streetlights. No neighbor porch lights. Nothing. No heated toilet seat.  Oh, the hell of it!

Then I thought: oh crap, no easy way to open the garage door. 

Yes, if you could get in it, but we bought a house with a wonky door that is troublesome at best and weirdly installed to fit a space that isn't made for standard doors. 

Oh - and it snowed. 

It wasn't supposed to. But there was plenty of it. So sleep never did come. I got up and tried to find a way into the garage so I could pull the red lever to release the electric garage door.

That was not fun. 

Naturally, I rattled the house. Everyone was up then. Shep didn't know what the hell was going on. He left his own king sized bed to join me outside for a bit. 

710 stayed behind after I left and reported the outage. It turns out it wasn't the wind but someone hit a pole. A pole. Singular. And it took out power to 12,000 residences and businesses. 

That's one important pole. 

It just set the tone for the day.  Not a good one. 

Song by: Arcade Fire

Union of the Snake

You know I wasn't going to watch. 

If you think I can't stomach the news, hearing him for what, 15 or 90 minutes would prove fatal for me. And all of it lies. All of it. 

Now I'm drafting this even before the thing airs, and I'm still saying it is all lies. 

If 7 people watch, he will still say it was THE most watched State of the Union address EVER. 

That said, my friend Craig had a SotU Bingo Card. I'm not sure if he made it or co-opted it, but I'll include it here. 

Obvi you can't use it after the fact, but in what world won't all be filled in?  Well, except Minaj. 

FUCK I HATE HIM. 

Personally, I am not sure I like Dems (congressional ones) boycotting the event. Do exactly what Lauren Bobart and Marjorie Taylor Cunt did a few years back and just stand and shout and boo. Fuck them all. 

Song by: Duran Duran