High Hell

Today's my Saturday... well, not in name but the spirit is there.  Today is also Halloween.  All Hallows Eve.  That one night of the year when the Idiot Jerk in the White House can take off his mask so the world can see his true horror... Wait... What's that?  He's not wearing a mask?  Shit, and I thought that was his 'pretty boy' look.
He went to Pittsburgh yesterday... alone, well, not quite Melanoma was with him and some Rabbi whom nobody seems to know... Myers, who is no relation to Eli Zinneman-Myers, that I can guarantee.  Even Pat Toomey, our failed Republican Senator stayed away.  I'm sure that didn't sit well with the Idiot Jerk, being shunned.
Normally a president's approval rating goes up during times of National Crisis... his dropped 4 points.  And his braggadocio yesterday about being able to override the Constitution?  Let's be honest here, this guy is dumb as a fucking brick.  Or maybe he's been listening too much to those Evangelicals whispering in his ear.  They tell him he's been chosen and can do what he wants.  Shit, they're as manipulative as he is and, I suspect, it will not be long before they start sacrificing goats.
And, since tonight is Halloween, I'm going to have to turn off the motion detector for my front lights.  Other wise they will turn on every time a Trick or Treater walks by, darkness is much better.  Then they will really get a scare when I let out the big dogs to bark and snarl at them.  What Joy!  Let me tell you Biggie is loud!  Of course, he's not nearly as scary as someone in a Trump mask.
Being that this is a holiday, I do have one decoration, not that I only get it out for this one night of the year.  It's too special for that.

That's right, I have a death globe!  I wish the black flakes inside were sparkly.  We can't have everything, you know?

And if you think this is scary, imagine the horror of Republicans with midterms only 6 days away.  The Idiot Jerk is throwing as much shit at the wall hoping it sticks... the problem is that most of it stinks to high hell.

Correction Phase

Today is my Friday and I am so looking forward to tomorrow.  Lots of laundry to do.  Yesterday was... yesterday.
The fat, female customer was back in the store... the one who supports the Idiot Jerk in the White House.  While there, she brought up for a 2nd time the 'migrant caravan.'  I have been told to advise her that her installers will either be black and Latino, or all black, or all Latino.  It seems as though white installers demand way too much money.  Friday is going to be a really fun day when I tell her this.  She is not going to be too happy.
The NASDAQ entered 'Correction Phase' last week and looks like the S & P is going to hit 'Correction Phase' this week.  'Correction Phase' is a nice way of saying there is a sell-off going on.
I bit the side of my tongue while eating a hot dog last evening.  Really hard.  It's sore and looks ugly this morning.
The sound went on my 3.5 year old Bravia 4K, HD Flatscreen last evening.  The headphones work, so now Alexios is up close and personal.  I can hear him panting... when he runs.  This is no doubt a software issue.  I will have to do some research to figure out how to correct this issue.
Evidently Pittsburgh doesn't really want a visit by the Idiot Jerk.
On a side note, evidently the Minor Idiot Jerk in the White House, Mike Pence had a rally where Jews of Jesus gave the opening prayer.  There is now another growing backlash from the Jewish Community.  His spokesperson says the Minor Idiot Jerk didn't know... oh... wait, they want you to believe this Crazy Christian didn't know who was going to be giving the opening prayer?  How's that for a lie?  From someone who claims to be a Christian.  Phony explanations after the fact do not a correction make.
And we're sending over 5000 troops to the border to protect Americans from a caravan of migrant workers, a lot of whom are women and children.  The Idiot Jerk is specifically targeting on racist mindset with this action.  Unless a correction is made soon, there will be a Humanitarian Crisis of our own making at the border.  No doubt his administration is setting up more camps for women and children.
And I vaguely remember reading how he's planning on issuing an Executive Order ending a law that provides citizenship to babies born in the United States whose parents are foreign nationals.  Anything to keep out that foreign blood... which still runs in our veins.
Midterms are approaching.  They are the perfect time to usher in a 'Correction Phase.'

The truth

Monday, and the beginning of a new work week for some of you.  After today and tomorrow I will have 2 days off.  Then, I will work for 3 and and 4 days off.  Vacation time is being used for both Election Day and my birthday.
I'm in the process of selling flooring to an older woman who is trying to cheap things out.  Oh, and she's a supporter of the Idiot Jerk in the White House.  She's putting vinyl planking in her basement, which she claims she uses for exercising (obviously not true).  There are charges on her quote for moving her washer and dryer, as well as an elliptical and a treadmill.  She said, "surely because I'm an older woman they won't charge me."  I told her I can take those charges off, but when they get there, they will call the store and put them back on.  I know when the installers she's going to use that excuse.  They have heard it before.  She will that excuse on them, and possibly wring her hands together as they call the store.  From my conversations with her, she's done this before.  As I said, she supports the Idiot Jerk in the White House.  I will let our Customer Service rep know the morning that this job is going to be a cluster fuck.
I didn't really look at the headlines yesterday, because of work, and the new project I'm working on, and then I turned into a Greek mithios and ran around wearing my little Greek skirt and my assassin's hood woven by Penelope as an excuse to avoid her suitors.  Dashing, I am.

To be truthful, however, I'd get my hair cut if really were him

Oh, and one of the funny thing I this past weekend was something Lara Trump said, that the Idiot Jerk would blame McConnell and Ryan and... well, the entire Republican Party if the midterms went sour.  What a gutless sack of shit he is... now, ain't that the truth.

Guns in the House of God

Well, this is my hump day.  That's right, many of you will be snoozing while I write this because for you... 'it's the weekend.'  My weekend is going to happen on Wednesday and Thursday.  Yippee!!
And I ordered the Warwick Rower's calendar for 2019 this morning.  I hope it's more colorful than last year's.  I had been going to order one of the 'red hot' calendars, but you need to use Paypal.  I don't have Paypal, and am not about to sign up just to buy a calendar. 
Yesterday was another dark day for America.
And once again the Idiot Jerk in the White House advocated Guns in the House of God.  He said the same thing after the mass killing at a church in Sutherland Springs, Texas left 26 dead.  He wants us to put armed guards in the Houses of the Holy.  Having to do so shows the weakness of an All Powerful Deity.  We will need to use guns to protect ourselves because He will not.  He said the same thing again after the shootings in Charleston that left 9 dead.  Three mass shootings in three Houses of God in less than 2 years of his presidency and his response is always the same.  Guns are the answer.  Perhaps if the Republican party had not Sanctified the 2nd amendment this would not be a problem.  Unfortunately for the vast majority of Americans, this party will sanctify anything for a vote.
And then 9 hours after these people were killed... he went to a campaign rally.  This was not a speech in front of a select group of people.  This was a rally where people stomped their feet and cheered.  He could have toned the event down, use that time to show respect for those who had been shot and killed.  And he did say a few, choice subdued words at the beginning.  But then it turned into a rally.  This is how you get Republicans to go to the polls.  People died and he stood there damning Democrats.  And you can bet there were a lot of phony Christians in the crowd, and probably some White Supremacists too, and a couple Neo-Nazis, who really had no problems with the shootings.
This man makes Americans look ugly as his own sin.

The beginning of Judgment?

Well, it's Saturday and we're in the middle of a Nor'easter... or, I guess I should say, since we're not getting a lot of wind, that it's raining... again.  Some areas of the North East are getting pelted.  Not us.  All we have is steady rain, sometimes light showers, sometimes heavier, nothing torrential.
This was a bad week for the Stock Market.  Don't look at your 401k's.
And, of course, they captured the 'mad pipe bomber.'  How jolly delicious that he turned out to be a rabid supporter of the Idiot Jerk in the White House.  Have you seen pictures of his van?

And Republicans are freaking out!  Well, that might be putting it mildly, especially this close to the midterm elections.  Like every Republican president since Eisenhower, he was... "missing in action" for the past 3 days.  There were no calming words for a country seeing first hand the fruition of his hatred.  Nope.  Perhaps because there was deep suspicion the 'mad bomber' might be one of his acolytes.  Then there was some brief praise for the FBI once Sayoc had been arrested, not much though, because when the police took little Cesar into custody the ugly truth was revealed.  The hatred the Idiot Jerk has been fomenting was thrown back into his face.  For him, truth is like Holy Water on a Vampire.  My, how loudly he shrieks and runs for the shelter of his lies.  This is what Judgment looks like.
Oh, and Megyn Kelly, that bottled blonde of phoniness has been fired.  I understand her lawyers are 'negotiating' her exit.  Which means, in not so subtle words, they're trying to decide how far up her ass that boot is going to go, the farther up, the more expensive it will be for NBC.  Stupid network banked on superficiality.
In the next 10 days, the the prurient horror of the Idiot Jerk is going to become more and more apparent. The lies will fall from his lips like shit blossoms from a cow's ass.  Republicans have always been bad losers.  Be strong!  Hold to your values!  Vote Blue!!

Ups and Downs

Friday, and I'm starting a 5 day stint at work.  My sales are not going to be that good this week.  No measures last week.  This is how it goes.  In spite of what some people say, the economy is not that good.  What they're really saying is that the deeper people go into debt, the better things look.  It's about how much corporations make, not about how much people owe.
And Megyn Kelly got fired.  Like that's supposed to be surprising?  I'm sure her comments about 'blackface' were intended to show how controversial she could be, demonstrating the cutting edge of her style.  Instead they proved her to be a racist better suited for Faux News, except Faux News doesn't want her because when the Idiot Jerk showed her his ass, she didn't pucker up.
I sent my brother (and his wife) a text asking if the pipe bombs being sent to Democrats were the Republican's version of 'Rock the Vote.'  No response.
And, of course, the Republicans are angry Americans are blaming the Idiot Jerk and his rhetoric.  They don't deny their love for running around arenas chanting "lock her up! lock her up!"  But, they say, that doesn't make them mad bombers.  No!  Blame the Democrats!  Yet their own hatred spirals out of control when the Idiot Jerk angrily shouts how Democrats will "tear down all of the progress Evangelicals have made!"  He incites their mob mentality, salting their anger with threats of the 'evil Democrats.'  The ending will not be to their liking.
I checked on both the WSJ and Bloomberg this AM.  Looks like this may be another bad day for Wall Street.  We'll have to wait and see.  For the past couple of months the Stock Market has been see-sawing in the wrong direction.
Oh, and they're sending troops to keep the migrants out of America.  Ain't that the Christian thing to do?
On a lighter note, I've been playing Assassin's Creed Odyssey.  Since this is a Role Playing Game, I was interested in how they would work the romance options.  Yes, there are always romance options in an RPG.  In the Witcher III they were all heterosexual.  That changed with the Mass Effect games and Fallout 4.  Well, last night I chanced upon the first 'mano e mano' relationship.  There are quests involved, as always, before the action starts.  This little video cuts out the quests and just gives you the cut scenes.  You could call it 'Alexios and the Gay Doctor.'

I did have to chuckle a little bit.

The reality is...

Well, it's Thursday and I have the day off.  I slept late today.  Didn't get up until 0530.  Even the dogs snoozed along with me.
One of the nice options that comes with the upgraded Starlink packaged I subscribed to is the ability to turn on the windshield defroster.  This means no more having to scrape the frost from the windshield in the mornings... that's if I remember to use it.  I'm sure I will.  And I've also begun to go through the owner's manuals.  Most of the stuff is familiar.  Dealing with some of the apps in the Navigation system is a bit different, but not much.
I saw that Ty Herndon has a new album being released on November 11.  He's an Out country singer.  I actually owned one of his discs a long time ago.  What makes this sort of interesting is that I saw him 'live' at the Zembo.

I've been there several times for concerts and once for a Christmas Party.  Very Moorish.

In fact, the Zembo is one of 3 geographic locations in which scenes were set in "The Body on the Lawn."  Can't you just hear Lelani babbling on about the 'Moorish tiles?'  And I did see Ty at a Bob birthday bash.

Fiction should always have a touch of reality, and one of the building blocks I used in my foundation was the Zembo.

Another reality is the October Surprise.  It turns out it wasn't Kavanaugh, or the stock market losing everything it had gained in 2018, or even the murder of Jamal Khashoggi.  Nope.  The October Surprise is much more ugly than that.  It's reality is based in terror.  Pipe Bombs.  This is the ugly face of the Idiot Jerk in the White House and those miscreants who worship him.  At his rallies he has consistently hammered home hatred for Democrats.  He calls them an evil mob and his acolytes cheer.  He shrieks how Liberals will destroy everything the Evangelicals hold so dear, and they bow their heads to him in prayer.  And, like a true Republican he blames the media.  People are seeing how big of a shit bag he truly is, proving he is really nothing more than an embarrassment to humanity.   Both he and his party need to be stripped of power.

Tom Eats Bad Men

Well, here it is Wednesday, and I get to go back to work for one day.  I'm off tomorrow.  How cool is that?
I saw someone gave "The Body on the Lawn" a good review.  The funny thing is that every time I pick it up I see problems and mistakes.  It's almost as bad as seeing 'dead people.'  They're everywhere.  Fortunately most of them are in my head.
So, Subaru has this thing called Starlink which is their version of Onstar.  I've had the option of purchasing Onstar in the past and never did; the benefits offered did not justify the cost.  I did upgrade the Starlink to their 2nd level package for 3 years.  If at the end of that time I find it was a waste of money, I'll either downgrade or get rid of it completely.
And the new coffee maker arrived yesterday.  Very nice.  Fast.  And the coffee is hot rather than lukewarm.  While the old one hasn't been thrown out yet, it will be shortly, except possibly for the carafe.  I might be able to turn it into an interesting planter.
I saw "Venom" last night.  What a mish-mash.  Tom Hardy has some really good moments as Eddie Brock... however, he's dealing with a symbiot who, over the course of the film, tends to become cartoonish.  Riz Ahmed plays a nice, cool villain even though you never really get a chance to see that spark of insanity which makes him bad. 

The problem here is that Venom is a dark character.  He eats people.  Men are on the menu.  That's right, Tom eats men.  Bad men.  The producers and writers are desperately trying to make Venom into a nice guy.  He has the one-liners people laugh at, not Tom.  Perhaps because Tom, himself, while pretty to look at, is not that important, which is why the movie is called "Venom," and not "Eddie Brock."
And, of course, the Stock Market is in a slow decline.  It loses a lot, gains a bit back, loses more.  I'm waiting for the Idiot Jerk in the White House to tell people they need to look at their 401k's.  The last time I had check mine it had lost about $5 since April.  And he's doing what he always does, what all Republicans have done since the dawn of time, blame someone else.  The truth is he's not really that good of a businessman.  The country is learning this... slowly.

Eyes and the Car

Yesterday was busy.
First up was an eye appointment with my new Optometrist.  She had asked Dr. Kilmore to send her my records... well, he sent only the last 2 visits.  She has no idea how high the pressure was in my eyes prior to my laser surgery.  Right now I put one drop in one eye.  The pressure in that eye is around 17.  The untreated eye has a pressure of 21.  That's below the pressure used to diagnose Glaucoma.  So, I'm stopping the drop in one eye so we can see how high that pressure goes.  Makes one wonder if I really needed those expensive drops Kilmore prescribed.
And, of course, I also picked up my new car.

You can see my old, plastic Nova checkbook in my pocket!  That's an antique!

It's metallic gray (really sparkly) with a gray leather interior.  Brindle Boxers don't go well with black leather.  Faulkner took $3K off of the MSRP/  Not quite down to the Kelly Blue Book price, but a lot better than the initial cost.  It comes with 'remote start' for those cold mornings.  There's an app which will let me start it up, and turn on the defroster.  Nice.  And, in case you're wondering, I'm not going to name it.  It's an inanimate object.  I didn't name either on of my bikes, and I love those babies.

The only hit I took was getting rid of the Rogue.  Leasing was great since I never had to worry about the mileage.  However, low lease payments don't decrease the $$ owed.  Trade-in value was $9 less than Kelly Blue Book trade-in quote.  That's not bad.  Still, there was a balance due and the trade-in didn't quite cover that balance.  I could have always turned in the car.  They prefer you to either buy out the lease, or an other, and so make the disposition expensive.  Turning in the Rogue would have been even more expensive.  I knew going in this was a bullet I would have to bite.

If you look to the right, you can see the algae growing on my neighbor's garage

Believe me, it's much better to take this hit now rather then pay lease payments for the rest of my life.  Now the payments begin.  I plan on having it paid off in 3 to 3.5 years.

Bread for thought

Well, today is Monday.  This will be an interesting day.
I have a eye appointment at 0800.  Out on Rossmoyne, where traffic is hell.  I will probably leave about 40 minutes early to hopefully avoid as much traffic as possible.  From now on, all appointments will not be schedule for early in the morning.  Mid-morning is going to be just fine.
And then around 11ish, I'm going to go get my new car.  Update and pictures tomorrow.
Yesterday was pretty much of a bust.  Sleep.  That's right, I slept.  Oh, yeah, I did do a couple of loads of laundry.  And I baked bread.  New recipe.  I should have paid closer attention.  Four star approval ratings mean nothing.  Anyone can give out stars.  Amazon has been struggling with fake reviews, good and bad, for years.  The Google system is 'bohanga hanga.'  There is no verification process.  Anyone can 'like' you, or your product.  Or, they can do just he opposite and burn you badly.  While the loaves I baked were not horrid, they had way, way too much flour.  This means that I will slice one of them up this afternoon and leave it in a bowl on the counter.  Tomorrow, after it has staled a little bit, I'll use it for bread pudding... really chewy bread pudding.
I also bought a domain yesterday.  You can now find my blog by typing http://www.ridingon.bike/ now ain't that neat.
Oh, and of course, as most of you already know, the Idiot Jerk in the White House is trying to permanently set gender at birth.  You will eternally labeled either male or female.  I wonder just who is behind this foray into stupidity.  Evangelicals?  Now, I'll be honest, I don't understand the transgender thing, but there are human beings who are born with the wrong equipment.  I will also be the first to admit I don't really know anything when comes to hormones and neurotransmitters.  That's why we have doctors and psychiatrists who study these things and have documented their findings.  Their opinions need to be respected, whether you like them or not.  They are far more valid than centuries old religious writings by men who felt that men were far superior than women who were only  created to be vessels, preferably to make baby boys.  This is something to satiate the hunger of those too desperate to play God.
This afternoon, after the paper work is signed and I have a new car sitting in my driveway.  I'm going to give the leaves in my backyard a mow.  And my lawn, as well.  The wind yesterday should have dried things out.  Yep, that's right, I like to mow my leaves rather than rack them to the curb.  They are really good fertilizer.  Sure, the lawn looks a bit funny, but then I've never been one who needs it to be superficially pristine green.

This is something to think about.

Morning coffee and discrimination

Well, it's Sunday morning, I'm off, and I was going to sleep in this morning.
Of course I woke up at my normal time.  The dogs needed to go out, so I made a slow pot of coffee.  Slow, because my coffee maker is struggling.  I'm hoping it survives until Tuesday, which is when the new one arrives.  I can remember when coffee makers used to last for years, now their life expectancy is what?  Three or four?  And I'm not about to run out and buy an Keurig.  With the amount of coffee I drink, that option is just not economically feasible.  It's not that I couldn't afford all of those K-cups, Nope.  My problem is that there are times when I am really cheap.
And, of course, tomorrow I get to pick up my new car.  Yes, I'm excited.  More so than I thought I would be.  Perhaps it's the thought of actually purchasing and owning.  This Crosstrek will be... 'my car,' as opposed to a 'leased car.'
Since this is Sunday AM, the pundit news shows will be discussing a certain Saudi journalist who was murdered and dismembered (purportedly), and how the Idiot Jerk in the White House is swallowing just about anything the Saudis are telling him.  It's the buckos, you know? 
And then someone decide to poll supporters of the Idiot Jerk about discrimination.  In a country where women have struggled for equality, where LGBT people have struggled religious bigotry and hatred, where people with dark skin have been fighting for simple equality since their first arrival in slave ships, his supporters say men are the most discriminated group in America.  Since the vast majority of his supporters are white, 'men' needs to be qualified.  They don't mean men in general, the mean 'white men.'  You know?  Like all those white Republican men who want to run the country.  What a joke.  These are people who are suffering from 'the male child' syndrome.  Their first born needs to be a boy.  Baby girls are nice, however the power belongs to the males.  Women in power emasculate them.  They raise their children this way.  Strong men run the family.  Or, at least that's how things used be.  These people don't understand evolution.  They don't understand change.  They have been taught wrong for generation upon generation.  This is how things end.  This is how things begin.
On a side note, one of those individuals who read and gave me opinion on "The Body on the Lawn" is dealing with some issue right now and most likely will not be able to advise on the next book.  I've begun sending out emails.  If anyone is interested, let me know.  I'm looking for a critical voice.
Now, I think I'm going to go take a nap.

Skill Sets

Welcome to my Saturday, the last day of my work week.  I am so looking forward to my three days off... in a row.
There's a clinic at the store today - Installing a Tile Floor.  Originally I had been slated to helm this public training session - until I told them I didn't know a damn thing about installing a tile floor.  Clinics are a great way to give the public some rudimentary skills, but at our store customers want a 'hands on' training session, which normally runs for at least 2 hours.  I have never laid a tile floor in my life.  Watching a 'how to' video several times is not going to provide me with a skill set I do not possess.  If I were to decide to have a tile floor installed in my kitchen, I would pay someone to do it.  So... I told them I wasn't going to do the clinic.  So... they went to the Flooring Supervisor and asked if he was up the the challenge.  His response:  "are you freaking nuts?  I don't know anything about installing tile!"  The clinic is now being run by one of our appliance / plumbing / flooring guys.  He's managed this type of clinic before.  I suspect he will now become our 'tile clinic guy.'
An update on my progress through "Assassin's Creed, Odyssey" - I've just been to the Oracle at Delphi, which is pretty neat.  I once wrote a short story about a modern day man who visits the Temple at Delphi and for a while begins to prophesize.  I did a couple of hours research on the Oracle and Ubisoft seems to have got the layout down perfectly.  Their only misstep was in having the Pythia in a large room.  Historically, it seems, she was in a small, basement room lit only by oil lamps... lots of oil lamps, sitting on a three legged stool over a fissure from which fumes burbled upward. 

That's right, experts are fairly certain she was gassed most of the time.  I wonder how she listed that skill set on her resume.
And thanks to some outstanding Customer Service from the manager of Faulkner Subaru in Mechanicsburg, it looks like I will definitely be picking up my new Crosstrek on Monday.  The paper signing should begin a little after 11 in the morning.  I'm actually beginning to get excited.  I've been leasing for so long, the idea of purchasing is a bit invigorating.  Sure, there will be monthly payments, but I'm making those now and they purchase nothing but time.  In a few years, the loan will be paid off and I will 'own.'
Finally, my friend Steve asked out my book sales were doing.  He was surprised when I told him I wasn't tracking them.  I told him that at this point there is not too much I can really do... except start on the next one, which takes place in Paris during the last few stages of the Tour de France. 

What else is new?

Friday.  For some of you this is the end of the work week.  For me?  Tomorrow is the end of my week.  Then I have 3 (count them) 3 days off!
And I did order a new coffee maker.  Light turquoise color.

That color should coordinate with the indoor shutters I have in my kitchen.  What would you call it?  Sea foam greenish blue?
At some point, I set up an automatic sync to my Google Drive.  One of those off the cuff moments.  The funny thing is I never use Google Drive.  Yet every save I do, whether playing a game, or downloading a picture, watching a video... everything is getting saved.  So I turned off the auto-sync, and started deleting the shit out of everything on the drive.  All my writing goes to Microsoft's One Drive and I save all of my photos to Nikon.  Sorry Google Drive, I really don't need you.
On the car buying scene:  The 'numbers' guy from Faulkner Subaru in Mechanicsburg was supposed to "reach out to me" yesterday... and didn't.  That's rather unprofessional.  Someone did call me at work, the originating number had a 697 prefix, however no voice mail was left.  This means my 'sales professional' is going to get another email this morning.  I may cc the General Manager, as well.  What ever price they originally quoted me is no longer on the table.  Will I still get my new car on Monday?  Right now, I would say yes.  As long as they drop their asking price.
And I saw where the Idiot Jerk in the White House said body slamming reporters is Okay.  So, what else is new?  The fact that Republicans are so drunk with power they fail to see how he's rapidly shredding their party is interesting.  Didn't anyone ever tell them 'power' is the corrupting force in the Universe?  Evidently not.

Pointing Fingers

Okay, so here it is Thursday, my Hump Day.  That's right, for me it came a day later than for most.  This happens sometimes.
I'm need to buy a new coffee maker... soon.  Mine is struggling to brew my morning pot.  Though only about six years old, I suspect that's elderly for a coffee maker these days.  The only real decision I have is should I drive over to target to make my purchase, or order one from Amazon.  Either way will work.  I'll probably check Amazon first, see what colors the have.  I don't want anything that's stainless, or chrome, or black.  Colors are great!  However, after managing a paint department for almost 5 years, I can tell you there are a number of people out there who are afraid of color.
Speaking of color, I saw this morning that drinking whole milk is becoming quite popular with white supremacists.  It has to do with lactose intolerance.  They're thinking that if you can drink whole milk you've got to be superior.  Unfortunately for them, I know a lot of white people who are lactose intolerant.  Racial purity, you know?  This is funny because genetically speaking, the gene for white skin is inferior to the gene for dark skin.  It doesn't make a difference how much milk these dumb shits drink, whole, 2%, or skim.  The dominant gene is going to rule the day.
And even though the midterms are what?   Three weeks away, the Idiot Jerk in the White House is already playing the blame game.  If the Republicans lose the House, it's there fault, not his.  He is not to blame.  Not at all.  Nope.  He is nothing more than an innocent lamb... with a shitty mouth and a dirty dick.  This is interesting because as we get closer and closer to the midterms, more and more people are agreeing this election will be a referendum on him, and his policies, and his Tweets, and his vulgarity.  If you think he's ugly now, wait until America serves him a shit sandwich the day after the midterms.

On the new car:  I sent my 'Sales Professional' an email yesterday pointing out that the Kelly Blue Book price for the car I'm going to be buying is a bit lower than the price they want to charge me... by a couple thousand dollars.  No response.  I suspect he was off.  Before I go to work today, I will shoot him another email requesting the numbers.  You see, I know they're going to try and sell that car at the MSRP.  They're going to have to drop that price down.  I understand they are in the business to make money.  Me?  I'm in the business of getting the best deal I can get.  Do I really care about their profitability?  Hell no.

Trump's Pimp

Well, Fall is here.  That's fine with me.  I don't mind the cooler temperatures.  They're killing off all the mosquitoes.  That's doesn't mean things are beginning to dry out, though.  No way.  Every 3 to 4 days we get showers.  Almost as regular as clockwork is the hissing drizzle of rain on my window panes.
Anyway, I just threw a load of white wash into the washer.  I'm out of white socks.  I do own other colored socks, they're a poly-blend and I prefer cotton.  I've been planning on stopping off at Target and buying more, I just haven't had the chance.  Since there's no more K-Mart, or at least none within driving distance, I've been shopping at Target.  My sister is a cashier for one of the Target's on the East Shore, so I guess you could say I'm showing them some familial loyalty.
There was another debate last evening between Beto O'Rourke and Lyin' Ted Cruz.  Sadly, ol' Lyin' Ted may pull this election out of his ass.  People in Texas love their lyin' racists.  Cruz is the Latino version of the Oreo cookie, Latino on the outside and white on the inside, which is all you need to satisfy those racist Texans who don't understand their days are numbered.
Oh, and the Idiot Jerk's pimp has died.  Hos, I think his name was.  Or maybe that was just slang for ho's.  No, I'm wrong, his name was Hof, Dennis Hof.  Either way, they have a problem out in Nevada because he keeled over so close to election day.  There's not enough time to take his name off of the ballot.  Even if they could, there is zero time for any Republican candidate to campaign.  This is... well, you might say, the way Judgment goes.  Evangelical Christians had no problem with this man. who owned and ran several whorehouses.  I remember seeing a quote in which one of those holy believers said that Hof was "really just a business man," and nothing more.  As long as he supported the Idiot Jerk, he was okay.  And now he's dead.  Struck down by God no doubt.  These fools don't realize, there is a price for everything. 

And could the October surprise be something from Mueller's probe?  Anne Marie seems to think so (key evil laughter).  We'll have to wait and see.  Though, there are.... whispers.

October Surprise

I get to go back to work to day.  Oh... shit.
I also climbed on board my scale... Holy Shit!  Now I will be the first to admit I've grown lax in both my cardio and my free weight training.  Some of this has to do with my shift change.  I used to get all of my workouts done before I went to work.  Now I need to get them done when I get home.  Some days the laziness just takes over.  I've been working to break these bad habits and slowly, I've been turning myself into an evening person rather than a morning person.  Changing years of routine is difficult.
Yesterday I put a down payment on a new car.  A Subaru.  And I'm buying this one.  For the past 16 years I've leased my vehicles.  Leasing is a nice way to get a lot of car for not a lot of money.  Of course, there is always a car payment when you lease.  I'm tired of car payments.  The real curse of leasing is that you have no trade-in value.  Well, maybe about $100, depending upon the model car you've been leasing.  There's not much there to knock down the price, which means you need to have a fairly decent down payment.  I do.  So yesterday afternoon I stopped in at my bank and transferred money from one of my IRA's into my checking.  The agent I talked was obviously Pro-Lease.  Her comment was "well, if you can afford it, leasing is great for those who want to avoid upkeep."  I said nothing, even though sharp retorts in spite of the flashing, neon objections almost blinding my thought processes.  Why would you want to be indebted to a car company for the rest of your life?  is buying a set of tires every three or four years that terrible?  Or was she just suffering from fiscal laziness?
I saw the stock market failed to rebound yesterday.  That's not good for your 401k's. 
And Stormy Daniels had her defamation lawsuit kicked out of the court system.  What Stormy needs to understand is that her role in dethroning the Idiot Jerk in the White House is now over.  She needs to move on and stop trying to profit from her experience.  She needs to be thankful for her book royalties.  She needs to stop saying "what's in it for me."  Move on, Stormy, move on.
The midterms are approaching.  We have not had our October Surprise.  There's is always an October Surprise.  Like Comey and the Clinton emails.  We've only 3 weeks to go.  I can hardly wait.

Bad Times

Monday, Monday, Monday.  Some of you begin your work week.  This is my 2nd day off, of course then I am going to have to work for 5 days, but then I have 3 off.
I went to see "Bad Times at the El Royale," last evening.  I enjoyed it... immensely, and not because Chris Hemsworth is either shirtless, or has his shirt unbuttoned when ever he's on screen.  I'm sure a lot of people will go see this movie because of that.  If you're one of them be prepared, he plays against type.  This is the story of 7 people who show up at a seedy motel on the outskirts of Lake Tahoe.  Sometimes they are good, sometimes they are bad.  Sometimes the bad people make the right decisions, and sometimes the good people make bad choices.  There are twists and turns along the way.  Cynthia Ervio has a standout performance as Darlene Sweet, a backup singer who wants to be a star.  I wouldn't be surprised if you hear her name, and that of Jeff Bridges during award season.

And I've been looking at new cars.  I'm going to buy this one, rather than lease.  As I get older, having a car payment is not something I want, so purchasing is my best option.  Color is very important.  Colors I absolutely will not drive:  black, white, silver or blue.  Interior color needs to be geared towards dogs.  I had a CR-V with black interior and I had to wipe it down every time I took the dogs somewhere.  I can be very particular at times.  One of the Subaru dealerships I've been working with has a gray Crosstrek with a light gray interior.  That will work.  So, I sent them an email.  We will have to see how things pan out.
Finally, my brother posed a picture of that Crazy Christian minister Turkey released just in time for the midterms.  This minister is supposed to be praying with the Idiot Jerk in the White House, however, he's kneeling in front of the Idiot Jerk.  I think this is what they call Evangelical Porn.

Tell me Everything

So, it's Sunday morning and a lot of you are sleeping in, or have already slept in and may be just getting up... and I don't doubt there are some who are still sleeping.  Ain't it great!  This is my first of 2 days off. 
After finishing The Body on the Lawn, I told myself I was going to wait 3 - 4 months before beginning another project.  Of course, that didn't mean I couldn't make some notes about characters and plot lines and motives for murder.  Then, yesterday when I gave Cori her personalized copy, I told her I'd been reading it and found 3 typos.  She smiled at me and said, "Dave, let it go.  It's time to move on.  Start something new."  When I got home, I began looking through my notes.  Then, booting up the writing laptop downstairs, I wrote the first 3 words:  "Dis moi tout."  For those who don't speak French, that translates to "Tell me everything."

It's time for the cardio to begin.
I saw the approval rating for the Idiot Jerk in the White House has gone up to 41%... that's his second highest rating.  That's funny.  His disapproval rating hasn't gone done, that's still high.  Some of those fence sitters are just falling off in his direction.  They cite the economy as the reason.  This is even funnier.  They point to low unemployment numbers, ignoring Obama in order to give the Idiot Jerk all the credit.  What they don't point to is personal debt.  Consumer debt will hit $4 trillion by the end of 2018.  Americans are wallowing in debt.  The retail industry loves it.  Economists greedily smile about how good things are...   They don't mention that in about 2 years those extra buckos the average American has in his / her paycheck are going to disappear.  Most don't understand that when they go away, those debts are still going to be there.  They will have to make those credit card and mortgage payments with less money.  Wait... that can't be true, can it?  They don't realize the extra $50 a week they get in their paychecks is going to vanish.  Their debt will not.  Holy Shit!  And you can bet corporations are not going to suddenly give out big raises to compensate for that loss.  No Way!
And you can bet the GOP, especially the Idiot Jerk in the White House is not going to tell you everything.  No, they slyly smile.  "Ain't it great!" they say out of the side of their grin, thinking not about you, or your family, but about your vote and only your vote.

Cheesy

Okay, so today is my Friday, even though the calendar says that it's actually Saturday.  I'm off for 2 days and then get to work for 5.  That's not so bad.  After that I have 3 days off in a row.
Pennsylvania politics got ugly.  A 'wanna be' Idiot Jerk running for Governor, Scott Wagner, posted a video in which he claimed he was "going to stomp all over Tom Wolf's face wearing spiked golf shoes."    Scott is angry because Wolf aired an ad in which a valid statistic was quoted, a statistic which proves Wagner to be an "Idiot Jerk wanna be."  That statistic?  Wagner's company, Waste Management, Inc., has sued over 6,200 individuals.  Wagner's explanation is "that's how you handle delinquent accounts."  I'm calling bullshit on that statement.  At one point in my accounting career I worked in Credit Management.  You don't file lawsuits, unless you're the Idiot Jerk in the White House.  Nope.  You turn them over to a Collection Agency.  So, Scottie's angry, and his video is making National News.  And he looks like every other Republican scumbag.
And something else is making National News, besides the devastation of Michael, and Kanye's audition for the position of Court Jester.  American Cheese is dying.  Millennials aren't buying the artificial, non-nutritious substance.  You know?  The fake food the Idiot Jerk likes on his hamburgers?  The orangey, yellowy slices Kraft sold as individually wrapped singles?  It seems that millenials want to eat real cheese rather than a substance with chemically induced flavor molecules.  Evidently that's not the only food-like substance on the decline.  Breakfast cereal has slipped into the fade zone.  People are turning away from it's sugary enhanced goodness.  And golf, too, which is turning into the sport of pretentious rich guys with artificially enhanced hair and chemically induced skin color so redolent of a product formulated in a laboratory.

People thought the Idiot Jerk's skin color was sprayed on, which would entail him actually standing naked while someone hosed on color.  Now we know the truth.  He's the perfect example of what happens when all you eat is American Cheddar.

Up Front

Well, it's Friday and I get to go back to work.  I'm so excited, in case you didn't know.
I watched some of the drone footage from the Florida panhandle - When there is only a concrete pad left, you know people have lost everything.  I feel bad for them, but then that is the price some will pay for living on the shore.  With rising seas caused by Global Warming, that land will be underwater in a number of years, which makes one ponder if those people are foolish enough to rebuild.
And I see that there some problems down in George with voter registration.  Seems like the white Secretary of State, who's also running for Governor, is trying to stymie an increased number of black people who want to vote.  Of course, he's shrieking "no, no, no."  Hahaha.  Of course he is.  Or maybe I should say "they are."  You know?  Those white Republicans who are terrified of colored skin.  And it's not only black skin that scares them, brown is not too popular either.  The last thing those white Republicans want is a black Governor.  That idea simply horrifies them.  If they could rewrite the genetic code to make 'white skin' the dominant gene, they would.  Sadly for them, however, no matter how desperate they are to play God, they can't.  If they fine their future so unbearable, maybe they should move some place else.
And I saw something really funny regarding the Idiot Jerk's trophy wife, Melanoma.  Evidently some fool asked her if his infidelities bothered her.  Her response was something about being "too busy" changing my wardrobe to think about it.   Well, that's not exactly what she said.  The "too busy" was her, the wardrobe thing was me... still, think about it.  I mean, excuse me, but she's been bought and paid for, and her purchase price included "not giving a shit."  I can't believe some sort of bumblehead believes there is some sort of love between her and the Idiot Jerk.  Well, there is in a way.  It's there love of $$$.  That's the only thing they have in common.  She was a model / high class hooker at one time, so she doesn't care who bangs her as long as she gets the cash up front.

Sign this

Well, it's Thursday.  I don't have to work today.  That doesn't mean I'm going to sit around on my ass.  Nope.  I'm going to clean: dusting and vacuuming, and doing laundry, you know, the fun things in life.
Some bones are defrosting in the refrigerator for the dogs.  Yes, they get real bones.  Cooked of course, because I don't want any blood smears on the carpet.
It's also raining.  The temperature is going to begin to drop.  We're supposed to hit 77 (F) today, but that might not happen.  From tomorrow on we're not supposed to warm up past the mid 60's (F).  I'm fine with cooler temps.  This past summer has been hot and humid with constant showers.  Looks like the summer of 2018 is one for the record books.  Without the chance to dry out, mosquitoes are bad... really bad.  They're in the store.  Repellent was marked down for employees.  Sitting at the Flooring Desk, I watch them flying around.  Holy Shit.  We need the cold weather to kill them all off.
I find it interesting that Michael slammed across Florida yesterday causing mucho grande destruction and all the Idiot Jerk did was hold a rally in Erie for Loser Lou Barletta.  He does know how to spew out anger and hatred, doesn't he?  More chants of "lock her up."  Your blue vote is the only way to seam his mouth shut once and for all.
There was an odd moment yesterday at work.  An associate of mine came up to me with a copy of "The Body on the Lawn" and asked me to sign it for him.  Nothing like this has every happened to me before.  I said sure.  What I was really thinking was "what the hell do I say?  Thank you for buying my book?"  He asked me how many copies I'd sold so far and seemed surprised when I told him I don't know.  I don't look.  For some that number is very important, the higher the better.  This is how the reading public grades you.  No one wants a bad grade.  Someday I'll look.  I did manage to get my picture snapped holding a copy.

And for those interested, I have started taking notes on my next project.  I'm thinking a quick field trip to the catacombs of Paris might be necessary.

Storming the Conservatives

For who don't know, sometime today Mike is going to slam into the panhandle of Florida.  Right now he's a category 4.  Will he be downgraded to a 3 or a 2?  There's a possibility, though not necessarily a probability.  The 2 a distinctly different.  As I was reading about the very serious, very dangerous storm, I thought I'd look at the map of Florida and see where exactly impact was going to be the most destructive.

WOW!

For those who don't know, down in Florida they call that part of the state "The Little Riviera."  Money, you know?  Big money.  Big Conservative Money.  The kind of money that loves the Idiot Jerk in the White House because... well, as everybody knows, money begats money, begats money.  Just like in the old, old days when who begat who, and what begat what, was important.  Interesting.  Pondering this, I decided to probe a little deeper.  Maybe look at the election results for the 2016 decent into evil.  Holy Shit.

Looks as though Mike is aiming directly for those most Conservative of counties.  In fact, that whole coastline is solidly Republican.  Yes sir, that is Trumpland.  Sure, there is a democratic county north of the coastline, they will get a lot of wind and rain, however the brunt of Mike isn't going to hit them.  The real destruction will happen along the coastline... just in time for midterms.

I suspect this is what Blue Justice looks like.

Oh, and Nikki Haley resigned yesterday.  Could she be thinking of a presidential run in 2020?  I can't even begin to imagine the Republican blood bath is she does.

The Time for Dicky Dunkin '

Okay, so this is my first morning using my new writing table.  It has wheels.  It rolls... somewhat.  My keyboard fits nicely on it allowing me to sit back and write.  The only thing it's missing is the mousepad table, a little shelf that juts out to the right for my mouse.  The bracket used to attache the little table was not included.  Shit.  So, I sent them an email last evening.  There was an 800 number for Customer Service, however that just took you to a General Voice Mailbox.  I did, of course, let them know that is an inappropriate way to handle Customer Service.
Weather wise, we have about 3 more days of hot weather.  That's right, our thermometer goes up into the 80's... still.  And it's October.  This is that time of year we are supposed to be getting close to Indian Summer.  This is the time of year I also remember that cute little porno poem I learned years ago:

When the weather's warm and sticky

Ain't not time for dunkin' dicky

When the frost is on the pumpkin

That's the time for dicky dunkin'

As you might presume, my youth was rather... ribald.  Or maybe it's not a poem, just a cute little rhyme.  I'm sure a lot of you recite something similar every autumn.

I heard that the Idiot Jerk in the White House apologized to Brett Kavanaugh last evening... ain't that a hoot?  While I was listening to the news this AM, there was this small bit about how the women in America are furious with both the Idiot Jerk and the GOP... which is an even bigger hoot!  Republicans just don't get it.  Neither does that crazy religious faction which makes up their base, you know?  The cult that believes a woman's best place is in the home, making babies and baking cookies.  The ones who think a wife's main goals is to make her husband feel superior.  Sure, she can go out and get a job if she wants to help supplement their income, but she better damn well not get paid better than her husband.  That group which totally denies the evolution happening around them because it's not in their holy texts.

Anyway, they're in for a bit of a surprise come November.  Right in the middle of dicky dunkin' season they are going to be rather painfully dunked.  Ouch!  

Can't you just hear the Idiot Jerk saying "what do you mean women voted against me?  Don't they know I'm the greatest?  Even the Chinese say I have a very, very large brain."

Better to Lose?

Well, it's Monday.  My hump moment has come and gone.  I have 3 more days of work before I get a day off.  Then, I'm only get one day off.  The scheduler split my week.  I hate that.  I want 2 consecutive days off, not one here and one there.  She also scheduled me to do a clinic in 2 weeks.  I don't do clinics.  I will tell her today, or tomorrow.   Mondays are usually busy, filled with meetings for Supervisors and Managers.  That's one thing I don't miss.
There was an interesting article in Bloomberg this morning on Susan Collins, how that 40 minute rationalization for her Kavanaugh vote was almost all hot air, how both testimonies meant nothing to her because she'd already chosen to vote with the 'old boys.'  The question is if she knew this was her way of checking out politically.  She may suspect so, but she will never admit so publicly.
And as the days go by, those statements about how this vote may have energized the base of fading away, scrubbed off the board to be replaced by questions about the midterms.  Have the GOP put themselves into a serious quandary?  Is this minority going to be put into their minority place?  The suspicion is that this is the case.  Oops, somebody shit in their pants.
And there are lots of discussions about Brett, himself, how every decision he's going to be involved in is going to be analyzed.  He said he's a 'fair judge,' but people are waiting to see if he's nothing more than a predetermined robot vote for the Right.   People are pondering the 'what ifs."  Say the House starts investigating the Idiot Jerk, and the Idiot Jerk turns to the Supreme Court to stop the investigation, will Kavanaugh recuse himself from the decision?  If he doesn't, what ever validity the Supreme Court has will be shit away as it proves it is nothing more than a rabble of right wing stooges.  People are watching. But then you have to remember the GOP has never really cared about people.  Nope, they are far too selfish.
Sometimes, you see, it is much better to lose in the short run.  The proof is coming in less then a month.

So, who's energized?

In case anyone is wondering, this is my kind of half hump day.  You see, you can only have a true hump day when you work an odd number of days, say 5 or 7 (you can't really count 3 since it's barely a week).  Since I'm working 6 days in a row, sometime this evening I will most likely have a hump moment.  Not that it will be anything I will be specifically aware of, sort of like when Big Seig burps.  He doesn't even know what a burp is.  For him it's just a mini 'woah' moment.  Here, and then gone.
An interesting thing about this whole Brett Kavanaugh travesty was the commentary by 'wanna be' pundits, those desperate men and women who feel a need to be the voices of authority.  While I was sitting at the Flooring Desk yesterday, someone came up to me and said "NPR says the midterms are going to be difficult for the Democrats."  That was the third time I'd heard that, or read that, (I believe the Mistress mentioned it as well).  This person is making a consensus statement without so much as a single contrast, or comparison, to the mood in America.  Whether intentional or not, that statement sounds demoralizing as hell, and this commentator needs to be educated.  Conservatives are the minority group in this country.  Having Kavanaugh on the Supreme Court is not going to move voters to the right.  The Idiot Jerk's approval rating isn't going to miraculously climb, not is his disapproval rating going to drop.
Now, I'm not saying the Crazies on the Right haven't been energized.  NPR needed to qualify their thesis, and didn't.  They needed to compare the two.  If the minority conservatives are energized, then the majority of America, then the Liberals, the Centrists, the Independents have become nuclearized.  Our anger is galvanizing.  They are the fluffy, pink Energizers, and we are the Copper Topped, Dominating Duracells.  In case you didn't know, in case you didn't know, we beat the fluffy, pink bunnies hands down..  In performance, we outlast, we endure.  They have the Idiot Jerk in the White House.  Don't you think it's time we wiped that shitty smile off of his face?

Give them Hell.

Well, something bad is going to happen today.  The US Senate, controlled by Republicans, is going to vote Brett Kavanaugh onto the bench of the Supreme Court.  A minority group is going to be affecting changes.  Laws many have taken for granted will be eroded and swept away.  The lives of a majority group will never be the same.  And I'm not just speaking about Roe V Wade.  That same sex marriage so many now enjoy?  Those phony Christians who run around shrieking "My Religion" will make sure that disappears.  They will reap great benefits at LGBT expense.  We are going to be stuck with another 2 years of the Idiot Jerk in the White House because a Conservative court will rule that he, as a sitting president, cannot be investigated.  Regulations will be sliced and diced.  Affirmative Action?  Gone!  Phony Christians will begin to give themselves more power... and take away your rights.
This is the price America will pay for all those non-voters who sat home on their thumbs instead of going to the polls in November of 2016.  Now all those people who thought their votes didn't count know their own stupidity. 
The only way to fix this catastrophe is to vote Blue.  The Human Beings of America need to put women and men into positions of power.  I put women first because... well, in case you didn't know, Conservatives really don't like women.  Well, that's not right.  They do like them as long as they're barefoot and pregnant.  They love their stay at home Moms, a concept quite popular in the late '50's.
The truth is, Conservative men have a very difficult time with women who tell them to "just shut up."  Women who challenge their authority also challenge their gender, they point out their flaws and embarrass them.  There is nothing a white conservative man hates more than to have a black woman give him orders.  For dinosaurs like the Idiot Jerk in the White House, that is pure hell.
The time has come to give them hell.
That's right, it's time to light the grills.
Vote Blue.
If they get burned bad enough, and often enough, they will run away with their tails between their legs.  This is their history.

It's in the Details

Well, a good Friday morning to you all.  For some, this will be the last day of the work week.  For me, however, this is the beginning of a 6 day stretch.  Now, ain't that suckie?
I was asked about my writing:  Brief history.  The first time I ever took pen to paper was in 3rd grade.  I had Mrs. Warner as a teacher.  At the beginning of the school year we were given the assignment of writing about "what we did on our summer vacation."  Back then my family didn't go on vacations.  Because most of my Mom's anger issues were rearing their ugly heads, I spent almost the entire summer with my grandparents.  Fiction was more pleasant than the truth.  Instead of detailing the problems, I wrote about how a goldfish bowl in my grandparent's living room began magically overflowing and the room began filling up with water.  Soon, my grandparents and I were swimming around the room with the fish.  It was so much fun.  Mrs. Warner didn't think so.  She gave me a failing grade for not completing the assignment.  That hurt my feelings badly.  For a 3rd grader, it was a good story.
And my copy of Assassin's Creed Odyssey arrived yesterday... one day early.  So, last night I became Alexios.

Ubisoft has always been a stickler for historical accuracy, which means I'm about to participate in the Peloponnesian War.  It's all in the details, you know?  The Greeks loved to celebrate the male anatomy, and now I can explore these glorious details.  An interesting side note.  If you move the camera behind Alexios while he's swimming, you can see up his tunic.  Things move.

Tomorrow sometime, Brett Kavanaugh will be voted onto the bench of the Supreme Court.  He wrote some sort of Op-Ed piece for the NYT in which he claimed to have gotten too emotional while giving his testimony.  He claims he is a 'fair judge.'  Does this man have any clue that the moment his vote is strictly down party lines he fails.  If the Idiot Jerk in the White House races to the Supreme Court the minute the Democratic House begins an investigation and the Court shuts it down, Brett fails, the Republicans fail and...  Shit, I can't say the Idiot Jerk fails since he's already the biggest failure in the White House.  I wonder if he even comes close to understanding his every vote is going to be scrutinized for partisan politics.  I don't think so.  But then the Republicans have never been very good on the details.  They love the overview, the big picture which they pray will overwhelm all the tiny fissures and cracks and lies.  It's always in the details where they fail.  They are so unlike Ubisoft, which glories in the small things so much they want you to get in close, and examine them.

The Value of Threats

Another late day of blogging.  Well, it is a day off for me.  And it's sunny.  And I mowed my lawn yesterday which means I don't have to do it today.  Not that I don't have things to do.  In a bit I'm going to be planting the nectarine tree I bought by accident.  That's right.  The big tag on the branch said peach, however  after I got it home and looked at the little plastic tag I saw it was a nectarine.  Shit.  Of course, I eat both peaches, nectarines and plums... apricots are delicious, too.

Biggie investigates

I had breakfast with my brother this morning.  We talked about my book.  Paperback copies can now be ordered by clicking here.  I gave him the title of the next one.  In case you're wondering, writing can be addicting.  I also have the option of having it sold as an audio-book.  I'm debating that.  I don't know how people would react to hearing Bobby Tussel talk about his sloppy eggs.

Oh, and a funny thing is happening down in Washington.  The Senate has the FBI report on their investigation of Ford and Kavanaugh.  Amazing that they didn't talk to either one of them.  The Idiot Jerk in the White House said that was off limits.  Oh, and each senator can only look at this paper document for only one hour in a secure place because of its... confidentiality.  Adding to the chaos is the Idiot Jerk's rally in Mississippi, where, in front of an all-white crowd, he mocked Christine Blasey Ford.  My, the Chinese must be right, he does have a big brain....  Stop laughing!  Now!!  Do I need to bring out Sister Mary Elephant?

And, as I said, I had breakfast with my brother this morning.  Towards the end of the meal he brought of the 2020 presidential elections, asking who I thought would run from the Democrats.  I told him I thought it was too early to even speculate, that maybe after the midterms we might have a better idea.  He asked again, so I told him I thought possibly Elizabeth Warren might run.  He nodded, and  said, I could get behind her.....  Okay, do I need to threaten you with Sister Mary Elephant again?

The Body on the Lawn

Well, it has been a busy morning.  Breakfast with my brother was moved till tomorrow.  Something came up... he and his wife are trying to sell their house, partially to help pay for the farm.
And, I guess it's time to let the cat out of the bag.  Well, it's not really a cat.  It's more like a book.  A mystery.  The E book is now available on Kindle.  Paperbacks will be able to be ordered Friday, I think.

Since I've never done this before, I thought I'd give you a bit of the first chapter,

Darkness…

Dawn.  I’m an early riser.  Always have been.  Sitting up, I swung my feet over the side of the bed and slid them into my slippers.  The dogs were already stirring.  Boxers.  Since there are seven, we call them the Von Trapp Family Boxers, I know, very cute.

We have thirty-eight rooms, not counting the ballroom, a full time cook we call Cook, and three part-time maids.  The only mansion bigger in Laurel Lakes is Margaret Stanley’s, she has us beat by eight rooms, and her ballroom is substantially larger.

Crossing into the salon, I pushed up the door of the dumbwaiter and lifted out our morning tray with a carafe of coffee.  Morning equals caffeine.  Cup in hand, I pulled up my calendar to see what I had scheduled for the day.  First thing on the list?  Walking the dogs.

Twenty minutes later I was heading down the staircase surrounded by the Von Trapps.  Even though my grandfather installed an elevator when he’d built the place, we most often used the stairs.  The elevator is almost a work of art, all brass filigree. I remember my grandmother telling me how, when she was a little girl, two maids would need a full day to keep the whole thing bright and shiny.  My grandfather later had it lacquered, now a simple dusting does the trick.  However, seven full sized Boxers in an elevator is too tight a fit.

Peachy

Here we are, Tuesday, and I just made my Mom's rent payment.  I really do hate sending Greenfield so much money.  She is in assisted living, but how much assistance she gets is often questionable.  She gets her meals, that's a given.  She gets her medications on a timely basis, which is nice.  The problem there is that Greenfield kept switching pharmacies.  Initially, prices varied.  Aspirin cost $2.75 a month, and her total monthly bill ran around $80.  With their current pharmacy, everything is Co-pay.  Now aspirin cost $8 a month.  When I get her med bill all of her drugs have an $8 charge and her monthly bill runs $170.  Where the fuck is Congress?
In the not too distant past the Republican Party was fairly regionalized.  Surprise, it's happening again.  In case you are wondering where the Idiot Jerk in the White House is most popular, just turn your heads towards our southern states.  They are also the states in which sentiment towards Confederate war memorials is the highest.  Isn't that interesting.  That one region of the country to get beaten in a war, to be declared the losers, is the one most infatuated with the Idiot Jerk in the White House.  This does mean he doesn't have supporters in other places, he does, other wise he wouldn't have been able to pull out an Electoral College win.  It's in the deep south, however, where this loser finds his strongest loyalty. Oh, and by the way, that's also where racism is highest.  These stats are fascinating, aren't they?
Anyway, I'm off tomorrow.  Having breakfast with my brother.  Won't that be fun.  I aggravate him at times but pointing out bits and pieces of the truth.  This is how life is.
I also have to admit, there's a bit of a debate raging in my head right now.  You see, they brought in a truckload of fruit trees at work.  Fresh fruit, you know?  Picked straight from the tree.  Not apples though.  Some think me odd, but I don't like apples.  They're okay in pies and dumplings, but that's about it.  The fruit of the Prunus persica is the fruit fro me.  A member of the Rose family, related fruits are the cherry, the almond (yeah, it's considered a fruit, not a nut), the apricot, the plum, and the nectarine.  That's right, my favorite fruit is... peaches.  And we have peach trees at work.  And I'm thinking about ripping up some the pavers in my yard and planting... a peach tree.
Now, wouldn't that be peachy as hell!!

Belly UP

Monday equals a work day for me.  In fact, today and tomorrow.  Then it's off for 2 days.  I will enjoy them.  The weather is supposed to be nice.  The unfortunate thing is that I will have to work 6 days in a row starting Friday.  And the really unfortunate thing is that my copy of Assassin's Creed: Odyssey is arriving on Friday.  That's when I go from being Dave during the day to being the stunning Alexios during the night.  Can you even imagine me as a hot Spartan?
One of the interesting things about the Kavanaugh nomination, and I'm seeing this in multiple places, is that a vote for him is a vote against the GOP.  Even if they managed to get him onto the Supreme Court, the party as a whole will lose.  Votes will stack up against them and their policies.  They are in a no win situation.  Of course, they can't see this because they're stuck with one dimensional vision.  Selfishly, they only see what they want.  Consideration of others is not an option.  Whereas the Founding Fathers started off with the words "We the People," a conservative's most favorite word is "my:" my money, my taxes, my religion.  They will be selfish to the end.  I suspect this is part of their genetic code, some faulty mutation which is also causing them to slowly die off.
Now for something funny.  Yesterday I got into a bit of a discussion with my cousin's wife on Facebook.  I stated my axiom about an unpopular president moving the country in the opposite direction his party wanted and she said something like. "I thought you knew, he's not unpopular.  He's very popular."  How is that for shits and giggles?  People who think this way tend not to go to the polls.  They don't see any reason in it.  If you're popular, you don't have anything in the world to worry about.  These are people who believe the world laughed with the Idiot Jerk during his speech and the United Nations.  Anything that contradicts the Idiot Jerk is fake news.  That's right, it's not true, and they have nothing to worry about.  Just think about the stupidity here.  The Idiot Jerk got his ass elected because (1) way too many people thought Hillary was going to win and stayed home; (2) a lot of dumb shits who rarely vote went to the polls to keep her out of office.
Without Hillary there is no enemy.  Hence, there is no longer a need to drag your sorry ass out to and vote. 
These people don't understand the Blue Wave, or the Blue Judgment, or the Blue Takeover.  Thanks to Faux News and the Idiot Jerk, himself, they believe he is one of the most popular presidents in history.  They believe he has accomplished great things, that his administration has done more in his first term than any other president in the history of the United States.  They don't know that they're brain dead.  They don't understand how quickly after the midterms this administration is going to go belly up.