What the Future will Bring

Okay, so it's New Year's Eve and I slept in this morning, in fact Biggie is still snoring on the bed.  In fact, I'm going to go rouse him now so he can go potty outside, otherwise he'll be prancing around like some 2 year old trying to avoid an accident.  Yesterday I did take a quick picture of both dogs on the futon.  Believe me, I have to be fast.  The minute they see me holding my phone up to take a picture they swarm.  They love having their pictures taken.  A friend of mine said that they own that futon... and they do.

So, everywhere we look over the past couple of days are memories and remembrances 2020, and all of them are telling what a shit year it was...  Someone needs to tell these people that they don't need to remind us... we were here... for the entire year.  None of us took a month long vacation to the balmy, hot springs of Venus just to get away.  Nope.

Rather then be like everybody else, I thought I might end this horrid year with bright, shining video of what is to come.  After I watched this, I couldn't help thinking that future is here.  Believe it or not, this kind of made my day. 

 

Blindly Stabbing

 Okay, so I got an award yesterday... Specialist of the Month, not decided by anyone at my store, rather, someone on the regional level (I suppose) decided I was doing something right.  Even though I had to laugh, it was very nice to receive the kudo.

Otherwise, yesterday was on the slow side.  Today and tomorrow I'm off.  I will be working on New Year's day, however, which is no bother.  People like to celebrate the beginning of a New Year.  Hell, celebrating the end of 2020 makes much more sense.

I figure I have about 3 more chapters to go before wrapping up the main draft of "The Body in the Loch," and believe me, I will be glad to move into the polishing phase.  This one has a little less action and is more Christiesque.  I have so many freaking notes, references and red herrings needing to be tied up... son of a bitch.  

Yesterday, when I got home from work, I found the  Clive Barker book "Sanctuary" wrapped in plastic and tucked into my mailbox, a gift I suspect.  Not mailed, mind you, just taped up in a clear plastic bag.  From who?  I have no idea.  Barker writes horror and I haven't read horror in a long time.  One of my associates might like it, so I'll see if he wants it.

And I did hear a funny thing about the Idiot Jerk.  His trying to push the $2000 stimulus check makes him look a lot like Bernie Sanders.  Wrong.  Every time he mentions it, he becomes more like Norman Bates blindly stabbing the GOP.

Oh, and about those warp speed vaccine inoculations?  Evidently, at the rate they're going it's going to take 10 years to get America vaccinated.  This is another example of Republican failure.

The Tops

Yesterday was a good day for accomplishment. Many little chores were completed.  I always feel good when that happens.  I even took the dogs out for a walk since the temps were relatively warm.  I have a sneaking suspicion this winter is going to turn out like last.  For those who don't remember, December of 2019 was brittle and cold, and then we warmed up to comfortable fall temps for January and February.  The arctic air stayed north.  Even though I don't mind snow, I wouldn't mind another warm winter.

On our walks, the dogs and I pass what used to be a small Day Care Center which closed down over a year ago.  Yesterday there were 2 vans in front, a plumber and a contractor... oh, and there was a sign that it is going to be the home of Hope Church.  That made me pause because directly across the street is a very large Methodist Church.  Then I realized that Methodists and Cracker Jack Crazy Evangelicals are basically 2 different groups trying to exist under the large umbrella of Christianity.  I couldn't help but think about the best word of advice you can give to a fledgling business:  Location, location, location.  I'd say this was the equivalent of setting up a Mom & Pop convenience store next to a Target... or a Walmart.  Ouch.

And I have myself set up to receive breaking news notifications.  Truly, I was baffled yesterday to receive a notification yesterday that Lori Loughlin had been released from prison.  I found it sad that a manipulating user like her deserved a headline, and even worse that some might even consider it important.

I heard whispers that the only reason the Idiot Jerk signed the relief package was because he received a call from a 'desperate Republican senatorial candidate from Georgia,' begging him to do so.  I can not wait for this shithead to be flushed.

Yesterday I went for a run / jog somewhere in New Zealand.  The scenery was nice... except for the steps.  For some reason the decision was made to take a route that included many steps.  Steps slow the runner with the camera down.  That doesn't happen when you're on a treadmill.  Anyway, since I didn't take a picture of the scenery, I decided to include one of how I ran / jogged.  The colors are nice.  You'll notice that the Blue is on top.  I always new we blues were Tops.

Waiting for that Extra degree

 Well, hello to a new week!  I'm off today, sadly, I do have to work tomorrow, but then I'm off for 2 more days.  Can't complain about that schedule.  After that my days off are split... something I don't like, still, it's better than working 10 or 11 days in a row, and having a fixed shift is nice.  For those who don't understand, ask your boss if one day you can start work at 0500, and the next day go in late but work until midnight, and so on.  You will quickly understand. 

Yesterday, I got pretty much accomplished, including a touch up of the pain in the hallway which suffered from some cardboard brush-burns from moving the treadmill up from the first floor. And speaking of the treadmill, I also continued my training for a 5k run.  I think I might download some sitar music since I think running to that might be kind of nice.

Yesterday I jogged from the California coast up into the hills

And then yesterday afternoon I went for an 8 mile ride.  I'd say that all in all, yesterday was a really good day for exercise, and I may repeat it again today.

The day after Christmas, every associate in my store was given a digital thermometer.  If we have a fever of 100.4 (F) we're supposed to call off, which brings up a question for me.  My temp is usually low, often around 96.7 (F).  That's 1.9 degrees colder than normal 98.6 (F).  Should I call off if my temp hits 99, or wait for that extra degree to kick in?  Just when exactly do I begin running a fever?

Anyway, I see that the Idiot Jerk in the White House signed that relief measure.  Was it because Senators were beginning to tell him he was going to leave a legacy of chaos and suffering?  If that's the case, well it just goes to show how stupid he really is since signing this bill will do nothing to change his legacy.  History will record him as a racist loser who did nothing but create chaos and suffering in his attempt to glorify the Holy Dollar. 

Heading into the New Year

 So, we're heading into a New Year.  Four days and counting... 3 if you no longer count today.  For the first time in 4 years, I'm excited.  

Yesterday was odd at the store.  Around 2:30 PM, all the customers started to go home.  By 4:30 PM there were like... oh, maybe 8 in the store.  Associates walked, and talked among themselves.  Normally, we see this in January and February.  Don't get me wrong, the people who were there spent a lot of Christmas money.  Maybe, as the Covid cases continue to increase in Central PA, people are beginning to realize this is more than just a serious problem.

One thing I have noticed, the Idiot Jerk's Tweet storms are no longer being given the massive coverage they once were - this is what happens when you're a loser.  That alone must be galling him for here to Hell and... well, I'd say back, but I'm fairly certain he's going to stay in Hell once he gets there.  Yesterday, it seems he did rage a tiny inferno, dwarfed into nearly non-existence by the bombing in Nashville.  I don't know where I saw it, perhaps the AP, but the Idiot Jerk seems to have call the Supreme Court "ignorant and incompetent," and they were not his only target.  Not surprisingly, he didn't sign the relief bill... in case you didn't know, this is his way of saying "fuck you, America."  This turd is getting flushed, even if we have to call Roto-Rooter to get him completely out of our plumbing.

And finally, a long, long time ago I graduated from Lebanon Valley College, a small liberal arts college, with a degree in English Literature.  Lebanon Valley used to be one of the 10 best small liberal arts colleges in the northeast, so I got a fairly decent education.  In my senior year all I did was read and discuss literature in every class.  One of those classes was Women in Literature.  That class stands out simply because of one book that I found so amazing - Virginia Woolf's "Mrs. Dalloway."  This morning an article about "Mrs. Dalloway" in the NYT.  The book is about one day in the life of woman who's going to have a dinner party, and the consciousness of a war veteran named Septimius, whom she never meets while he's alive.  I found the book fascinating.

On Christmas Day

 I hope everybody had a nice and quietly safe Christmas.  I did.  In the morning, I took a Christmas basket over to my movie friend Patty.  She's recovering from Covid.  She tested positive on Tuesday the 15th so her quarantine period is coming to a close.  Keeping safe, I stood outside on the front of her porch and she stayed in the house.  She told me she thought she had a sinus infection and went to First Care.  They tested her because she also had a slight fever and a slight cough.  She did experience some shortness of breath, but mostly she was continually exhausted.  Oh, and she didn't eat.  "It's a hell of a way to lose 10 pounds," she said.

As for myself and the dogs?  Yesterday was quiet.  They got their toys, which have already been forgotten for the most part.  I began a 5K training program on the treadmill which, in 9 weeks, should have me ready to run a 5K race.  We'll see.  The only issue I had, while slowly jogging along to a video from New Zealand, was the music, some sort of 'new age' compilation of songs composed by people who spend way too much time smoking blunts before sitting down at the keyboard.

Dinner was:  meatloaf and scalloped potatoes. And yes, I did wrap the meatloaf in bacon.

For those who took notice, we did get 2 Christmas messages yesterday, one from the exiting failed president which was in the form of a statement released by the White House, the other, a much more personal, video from the Bidens.  Think about it... a written statement vs a video.  One man spoke of how Covid was changing this Christmas, the other released a few paragraphs that barely mentioned it.  One talked to the nation, the other directed his message to a specific group in his base.  This is why America fired the dumb shit.  For him, it is all about making the deal and how it's going to effect his bank account.  In a little over 3 weeks we will be able to say good riddance to this white trash.

Hello Christmas!

Here's an interesting little bit:  Christmas is no longer a totally Christian holiday.  I work with Muslims and they celebrate Christmas... but not for religious reasons, and I work with Hindis (Harrisburg is truly a melting pot), and the same thing is true, and I work with  Jewish gent who says they do more than play dreidel dreidel.  Of course, there is a certain group of people who believe they own the holiday, well, surprise, they don't.  For many, now this is just a celebration: the end of one year as we head on into a new one. 

Anyway, here are some pics I took yesterday and this morning.  

Here's a pic of the snow on the hill behind my house before the rain came to wash it away.

A nap is called for after too much cake and ice cream.

My Fenix 6 arrived yesterday.  I had planned on using the stimulus check to pay for it, now, however, because the Idiot Jerk in the White House wants to stab Republicans in the back, that plan has been thrown into jeopardy.

The dogs got new toys for Christmas.  One each, since they already have a boatload of toys.

Biggie liked the pinkish orange duck, though Lilly has since taken ownership.  She's like that.

And finally, for those if you who received athletic gear as gifts, here's a little workout video.  If any of you try it, please, please, please take pictures.

I hope you all have an outstanding day, whichever variant of Christmas you happen to be celebrating.

 

Biggie's Birthday and a little more.

 Well, what can I say, today's the 24th of December and it is a very, very special day.  Today is Biggie's birthday.  He is six years old.  Of course, he doesn't know that... he's a dog.  The cake and ice cream are waiting for this afternoon.  He will think of them as a most scrumptious treat.  And tomorrow he's is going to get a rubber chicken.  I can think of a better way to celebrate the winter solstice.

And for those of you who haven't seen this twisted little bit of the brain of Ryan Reynolds, have a laugh.

That's right, ignore the Idiot Jerk and his pardons, every one he grants shows how much Republicans love their corruption and their traitors.  How easy it is for them to stoop so low.

Size

 Biggie threw - up a white sock he'd eaten.  Dogs will eat anything.  Now I have one odd sock.

We got the treadmill up into the computer / workout room.  Very heavy.  Some touching up of the walls will be necessary.  Assembly took about 3 hours, not because of difficulties, I just decided to take my time.  There was a lot of crawling, and crouching, and kneeling in screwing together and screwing on plastic parts to prettify the angles and joints.  I did a 5 minute walk / jog and started to learn what all of the buttons do, and and then I folded it up.

Biggie doesn't like it in the folded position.  Twice last night he got off the bed to go lay in front of the door to the Computer / workout room.  The 2nd time, I lowered it down to it's running position.  That satisfied him and he went back to bed and is still sleeping.

I see the Idiot Jerk pardon a bunch of people, 2 of his accomplices in his 2016, Russian aided, election steal.  He also commuted the sentences of 3 Republicans who were serving time for corruption.  This was to be expected.

Oh, and the banker for the Idiot Jerk, the one who oversaw his personal loans at Deutsche Bank has resigned.  I liked the bit where Deutsche stepped in when most banks believed him to be radioactive.  That happens when you default on most of your loans.  I'm thinking she knows that's going to happen again.  And it wasn't only the Idiot Jerk she was financially involved with, evidently Jared was also one of her clients.  I'm thinking this does not look good for Deutsche Bank.

And finally, here's a little Christmas song from Tom Goss.  Enjoy.

The Arrival

 So, yesterday was my day off and I had a few chores planned, mostly I wanted to work on painting the trim in the exercise room and the hallway.  I was upstairs moving things around when the dogs began barking... loudly.  They do that when someone walks past or a FedEx or UPS truck stops at a nearby house to make a delivery.  And then my doorbell rang.  Surprise!  My treadmill had unexpectedly arrived.  There was supposed to be an appointment... that never happened.  The tall, skinny guy who delivered it said it weighed 300 lbs, I corrected him 232 lbs.  Oh, and I had to help him get it up on the porch, and with his help, I pushed it into my living room.

Justin's coming over this morning to help me carry it up the stairs.  And, I've decided I'm going to take the day off.  I want to get it completely assembled, and maybe get a jog in.  Business has been slow.

Of course our skies were filled with clouds last evening so there was no viewing the bright planets.  A friend from Arizona posted a picture and you saw two specific points of light, not one, which means this was a lot of hype.  

And I saw where Pat Robertson, who once said the Idiot Jerk was going to be re-elected and that would start the end of days, now says the Idiot Jerk should concede.  That man is an old fool and should keep his mouth shut.  

Oh, and we're getting a teeny, weeny check from the government.  While I don't really need the funds, there are many who do.  The Republicans don't really care about them, only themselves.  The problem is too many of them are old, and too many are two wealthy.  These people need to be excluded from the election process since they only seek to serve themselves.

  

The Big, Bright Light in the Sky

 For those who missed it, the winter solstice happened this morning at 0902.  From now until June, our days are going to be getting longer (hurrah!).  Tonight, if the skies are clear enough, you should be able to see the brightest star (actually 2 planets) in the past 800 years.  Some ding-a-lings have decided they're going to call this the Christmas Star (actually 2 planets) because religion feels the need to take ownership.  Me?  I think we should all call it The Big Bright Light in the Sky because (and certain groups hate this) a vast majority of the world's population does not celebrate Christmas.

I picked up my Holiday Basket yesterday as I left work.  Very nice and filled with goodies.  I like baskets that are filled with goodies, but then doesn't everyone.

And last evening I broke down and ordered a Fenix 6 Pro since the government's going to be giving me a little check, emphasis on the size.  Conservatives hate spending money, unless they can spend it on themselves.  I'm sure they quite happy at only having to give struggling American's $600.  They believe you should earn your money, rather than rely on the government... or a massive tax break which they gave to themselves and the 1%.  

I find it fascinating that countries all around the world are shutting down air travel to the UK hoping to avoid the Covid strain... except for the United States.  Of course, Conservatives see this mutation as just another variation of the flu, nothing more.

Oh, and for those who missed it, the Idiot Jerk's legal team filed another complaint with the Supreme Court yesterday in an effort to overturn the election.  This is only to keep their base mollified.  The real fun is going to happen on January 6, when Congress has to ratify the election.  I understand there is mounting horror in the GOP they are going to have rogue senators object.  These fools want to got out looking like bright, shining stars.  Wrong, their embarrassing spectacle would make them look like dumb shits on parade.

Dickey's

 So today is Barbecue day!  Day 5 of our 6 days of Christmas.  And it's coming from?

Now, I know some of you are going to be jumping to conclusions, especially those who didn't realize that Dickey started a barbecue back in 1941.  Can we talk about being popular?  Dickey has become a real crowd pleaser.  So much so, that today, you can franchise your own Dickey. Don't worry, I'll not take a pic of Dickey's barbecue, I'm afraid some might find it too saucy.

Yesterday was slow at work.  The holidays are rounding the corner and this year they're being celebrated differently.  Except for trees, most of our Christmas crap merchandise is sold out.  That's right, no ornaments.  No lights.  Everything sold at full price, so there were no clearance markdowns.  There are artificial trees left... expensive trees, in the $400 - $500 range.  Sorry, but I can think of much better things to spend my money on then a tree that sings, and spins, and flashes colored lights.  Sorry, I hope I'm not stepping on any toes here.

Stay cautious, stay safe.  A new variant of Covid 19 is out there and it is far easier to contract.  The UK is reporting it, and if you can bet if it's there, then is over here as well.  

And, of course, that treasonous sack of shit in the White House is blaming the Russian Hack on China.  He's also saying everything is under control and that it wasn't as bad as government offices are claiming; he said this about Covid.  This man is pure evil. 

Candy Day!

 Well, what can I say?  It's Candy Day!

In lieu of a Holiday Party, my store is celebrating the 6 days of Christmas, starting today, and we get Candy.  I love candy!  This is something I rarely buy for myself since I understand all it really represents is a really sweet sugar rush.  Most people don't understand, there is always a little bit of a crash after you eat candy.  The more you eat, the bigger the rush and the deeper the crash.  You run around like hell for a while and then you want to take a nap.  

Oh, and for those of you in warmer climes, it's a bitterly brisk 17 (F) degrees outside.  That's chilly.

And my Strava has posted my stats for the past year:  2079 miles on the bike, I climbed enough hills to reach a height of over 88,000 feet, and 188 days out of the past year I was on my bike.  I'm happy with these stats.  Also, I'm heading into my slowest month, which is January.  And an interesting tidbit:  I rode on more Tuesdays then any other day of the week.  Nifty, huh?

For those of you who haven't heard, the United States is suffering from the worst hack in history.  And the Idiot Jerk's blow bro Vlad is responsible.  This is what happens when you put loyalists and lackeys into positions of authority.  The Department of Defense has suddenly put a hold on their transition meetings until January 5.  They say it's a Holiday Break.  Right.  The truth is the Russkies have been prowling around the DOD's computers since March.  This is why they were so happy when the Idiot Jerk got elected, they knew this wannabe tinfoil dictator would leave the back door standing wide open.  The terrible thing is that this is exactly what the Conservatives voted for when they voted for the Idiot Jerk.  Ain't gonna be no sugar high with this one. 

The abandonment

 Well, it's not quite the weekend before Christmas.  The dogs are sleeping at my feet, Biggie using an orange squeaky toy as a pillow.  If there was a cracking fireplace behind me, we could be  Normal Rockwell painting.

Quaint, huh?

Driving to work yesterday was fine, except for the old guy in the blue Lincoln SUV whose overly cautious driving slowed traffic down to 15 mph.  Business was slow at the store, expected, though we did get a number of customers who decided to wait until after a fairly large snowfall to buy a snow blower.  There are, no doubt, the same ones who cast votes for the Idiot Jerk in the White House.

And I don't know anybody's seen it, but the Supreme Court kicked back complaint by religious schools in Kentucky that they were being singled out in an order to keep them closed until the New Year.  Social Conservatives are going to have a real problem if the Court doesn't give them everything they want, which is why the Republicans stacked the court.  My bet is that they will be doing the dirty diaper walk for some time to come.

Oh, and the country has been hacked by Russia.  Badly.  And the Idiot Jerk has been silent.  Even though his blow bro Vlad had started tossing flirty kisses to Biden, our failed president still can not believe their 4 year bromance is over.  Not only has he been fired by America, he's being cheated on and spurned by Vlad.  How despicable.  Rumors are flying that he doesn't actually understand he's going to have to vacate the premises on January 20, that he's hunkering down in his Oval Office mancave.  He doesn't seem to understand the job of President is going to belong to someone else. Ouch.

And I understand Pence, the android, is going to be leaving the country right after the election is certified by the Senate on January 6.  Will this be an extended trip abroad while someone else packs up his belongings and moves him out of the Vice-Presidential residence?  I wonder if Mother's going along?  Is this how the abandonment begins?

Buried by Time

Well, we aren't really super pink.  That monster snow storm?  The one where Central PA was the bullseye in the epicenter?  That little pussy cat was anything but epic.  Oh, sure, we did get a lot of snow, but no where near 24 inches.  20 inches?  Nah.  At best we ended up with around 10 inches of light, fluffy snow.  And here I was planning on taking a personal day.  Well, it looks like that's not going to happen.  This is what it looks like from my front porch.

I did get an email from the people delivering my treadmill letting me know there was a possibility of it being delayed.  How could it be delayed when they haven't even called to set up a delivery date.  The location upstairs is ready and waiting, however, I'm betting I'll have to wait until after Christmas, unless they can get it here on Monday or Thursday.

Those qanon Cracker Jack Crazies are so pissed at Moscow Mitch they're threatening to leave the GOP.  Personally, I don't think their numbers are that great, but let's be honest, any loss for the Republican party is a gain for Democracy.  They don't understand their trendy conspiracy theory, the one where their Idiot Jerk is holy will fade.  Time will bury them in obscurity... something they truly deserve.  Four years from now they will be nothing more than an embracing race track on the dirty underwear of the GOP.

And what about all those who don't want to take the Covid Vaccine?  This is how evolution works.  Those who can adapt survive, those run around shrieking "what's in it?"  They'll die off.  Sure it will take a little time, but that's how it works.  Here today, gone tomorrow... or maybe the next day after that.  

In the Pink

 Being the ever vigilant person I am, the first thing I did this morning, after letting the dogs out and brewing a pot of coffee, was check the weather map.  Here it comes, somewhere between 3 and 8 inches.  That's during the day.  Because weather forecasting is always a gamble, there is no precision.   Tonight they're calling for an additional 10 to 18 inches.  About the only thing they're fairly certain about is that our precipitation is going to be in the form of snow.  No one has the temps topping 32 (F)  My shovels are anticipating a decent workout when the snow finally arrives, sometime between 10 and noon.

I received a voicemail from Estes regarding the delivery of my treadmill.  They said delivery was going to be delayed because of the snow.  I sent them and email:  how do you know it's going to be delayed when you haven't even set up a delivery date yet?  Still waiting for a response.

And I saw that the residents of Palm Beach  don't want the Idiot Jerk to make Mar A Lago his permanent home.  Their attorneys (yes, they have attorneys) have said that since he turned it into a private club it can no longer be used as a residence.  They listed a lot of complaints about his living there, though no mention of his stench.  They don't understand all of his encroaching legal problems will most likely keep him abroad.

Everyone is wondering if there will be any rhyme or reason to his last 30 some days in residence at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.  Don't count on it.  His dearest blow bro Vlad congratulated Biden.  I'm betting that had the Idiot Jerk sobbing into his pillow, "he hates me!  he hates me!"  One thing you can count on, he will be disruptive and destructive, but then his intention was never to leave the country in the pink.  Rather, he intended to dictate and dominate, and those plans have been thwarted.  Now we have to work on eliminating the rest of the Republican swine from public office.  Our work has just begun.

WINTER STORM WARNING!

Yeah, I slept in this morning.  I had a couple glasses of wine last night to celebrate the Electoral College vote cementing Joe Biden as our next president.

Billy Barr resigned, and while I didn't read it, I understand his resignation letter was 'fawning.'  He does love his tinfoil dictator, so I suspect his refusal to spread the Idiot Jerk's lies about voter fraud had more to do with trying to keep his own ass clean for the history books.

I saw this morning where Moscow Mitch finally acknowledged Biden's win.  While most don't understand, he was the one behind the horrendous spate of conservative judges rather then the Idiot Jerk in the White House.  Mitch thought he was working on his own conservative legacy.  Dumb shit.  Stupid conservatives don't realize Covid is going to be their legacy.  He's going to be remembered as the man who allowed hundreds of thousands of human beings die while only focusing on judges, and they will have to live knowing their conservative beliefs were deemed more important than human life.

Last evening Uncle Joe called the Idiot Jerk in the White House  a lying sack of shit using words that were far too nice.  I understand that the votes by the Electoral College, without one renegade voter, pretty much screwed over the Conservative Media, proving them to be total failures.  Good.

And for those of you who don't know, I am sitting in the bullseye of a winter storm warning.  Yepper, the predicted estimates are between 14 and 22 inches of snow.  I'm am scheduled off tomorrow, when the storm is supposed to start and will take off Thursday if the predictions come true.

Oh, and in case you're wondering, we still have snow shovels available, no blowers though, we sold the last of them yesterday.  

Aquarium hint of the day

Blogger's back.  It was down, so this entry was delayed, and will be shortened because work calls.

Snow is predicted for today; the only thing falling from the skies here is rain with an occasionally large flake that melts before it hits the ground.

Because direct sunlight hits my tank for several hours a day during the fall and winter, I have algae.  Since my tank is acrylic, I need to be cautious as to just what I use to clean the sides.  The solution, it turns out was right at hand, a plastic putty knife purchased 98 cents at  Home Depot.  The plastic is softer than the acrylic, but has a strong enough edge to scrape off the algae.  That's my aquarium hint for the day.

Of course, the Electoral College meets to day to confirm the election of Joe Biden.  Not surprisingly, there are members of the GOP, those who no doubt used a blood oath to sell their souls to the Idiot Jerk in the White, are still lying about the truth.  What is interesting is the fact that many of them seem to be in some sort of legal bind, especially the AG from Texas, Ken Paxton.  You can bet his ultimate goal is not to overthrow the election, rather he is more interested in getting a pre-emptive pardon from the Idiot Jerk.  Crooks and Cronies, as is historically the case with tinfoil dictators, are the ones who tend to benefit.

And now, I've got to get ready for work.  Fun stuff!

 

The gift of Coal

 Yesterday was fairly slow at work.  Covid is beginning to rage and Christmas is coming, so most are putting flooring purchases on the back burner for now, except for those who do not celebrate Christmas and they seem to be growing more concerned about the Virus.

Snow is in the forecast for Central PA; about 3 inches are expected during the day tomorrow.  After tomorrow, I'm not scheduled to work until Thursday - on Wednesday they're predicting over 8 inches.   We shall have to wait and see.  

Rather than have a Holiday Party this year, our store is doing the 6 days of Christmas.  Starting on 12/19 associates are going to be treated to food and small gifts, one of which is going to be a succulent.  That's nice.  I do love my succulents.

A new ornament arrived yesterday for the winter theme of my all season tree.

I saw where the Orlando Sentinel retracted their endorsement of Mike Waltz.  He was one of those members of the House who signed that Amicus supporting the Texas lawsuit.  They said something to the effect that when they endorsed him, they had no idea he was going to attempt to throw out 231 years of Democracy in order to keep the Idiot Jerk in the White House.  Guess what's in his Christmas Stocking?

And, speaking of the Idiot Jerk, I understand he's raging.  He truly believe that all he had to do was follow Putin's game plan and he'd be able to make himself president for life.  He has vowed to 'fight on.'  There were demonstrations of support for his lies in a number of cities yesterday.  In Washington, a white supremacist, nut job named Nick Fuentes had his band of MAGA's chanting "Destroy the GOP," while down in Georgia the demonstrators were calling David Purdue and Kelly Loeffler RINO's.  This is what a losing failure looks like.  Looks like Santa IS GIVING them  all the gift of coal.

The Republican Assburning

Well, today I get rid of my weight bench and one of the two attachments I still have, the other went out front to be recycled some time ago.  As I slowly empty and rearrange my computer / workout room, I realize just how much space I really have there.  The room is becoming quite minimalized.  As we get older, that we should begin to aim for.   I know people who are my age who just can not seem to stop adding to the clutter surrounding them.

I understand the Texas Attorney General, Ken Paxton, is dealing with quite a bit of legal bullshit.  But then this is to be expected.  He began his career as a Tea Party Republican, and like most Republicans, loved wallowing in his own selfishness and greed.  Of course, he became a fanboy of the Idiot Jerk in the White House.  Yesterday the Supreme Court presented him with the gift of shit, and they didn't even wrap it nicely with a bow.  Nope.  Why did he go to so much trouble for a failed president, offering the courts a baseless lawsuit?  I'm betting he's hoping for some sort of pardon.

Yesterday, in the lunchroom, one of the fascists' supporters of the Idiot Jerk said, "Biden will never be president, and I'm so glad Texas took the imitative to got to the Supreme Court."  This was about an hour and a half before the Justices stood up for Democracy.  I did not see this fool after the decision, not that I would have said anything if I had, sometimes there is great joy in just smiling wisely at someone who's just had their ass burned.

And finally, as most of you know I like to be interactive when I workout.  While cycling, I use Tacx and ride all over the world.  Well, running (or slow jogging) has the same sort of thing.  This run is in New Zealand.  Nice... huh?

 

Shit Ghost

 So, have everybody been working for the weekend?  If not, maybe a rather homoerotic video from a poufy hairband might get your gears going.

I will admit to having laughed since it's almost as embarrassing as my naked baby pictures.

One of the many nice things about getting the treadmill (which is not officially in it's destination city) is that it's giving me a good excuse to alleviate some space.  Today I'm getting rid of my keyboard, the stand, and the amp.  Tomorrow the weight bench goes.  An old table saw in the basement is going to go to my friend Justin, who's helping lug the 232 lb. box up my narrow staircase.  This is how it works.  You get a new piece and eliminate 4.  

Work is going fine.  I have some customer who have a sunken basement, down one step on each side, and they wanted to put laminate there.  Unfortunately, the way the both stairs project, laminate is not an option, so I spent sometime with them yesterday looking at other options.  Oh, and worked in Paint for an hour and a half.  We had an associate transfer and the scheduler never looked for associates who might cover those hours.  Actually, I didn't mind.  I like Paint.  

We also have a new timeclock that scans a QR code on our smart phones to let us punch-in.  Contactless.  You can still punch-in without a smartphone, but it is a very timely process and, as a result, there are a few who are not happy.

Oh, and have you seem how many ugly Republicans have jumped on board the Texas lawsuit?  The common consensus is that they're afraid of what his base might do to their political careers.  They don't understand that once the Idiot Jerk is gone, he's going to be gone, only to rise like some shit ghost to haunt their future political endeavors.  

Has anybody seen Ted Cruz?

Big Snow Flakes and Big Balls

 My weekend is over.  That's right, I get to go back to work... today.  If I didn't like getting my paychecks so much, I'd go part-time, but let's be honest here, that deposit into my accounts every 2 weeks is really rather nice.

One of the unfortunate things I'm going to need to do this morning is do my daily Health Check.  You'd think that by now going on line and filling out a very short survey should have become part of my routine.  It hasn't.  Even though there is a post-it note hung from the bottom of my monitor, I sometimes forget. There must be some sort of Freudian slip happening.

I received an email yesterday stating that my treadmill had reached its 'destination city,' which is apparently Middletown, which is about 17 miles away.  According to the information they gave me, Estes should be calling to set up a delivery date.  Will this new piece of equipment be here before Christmas?  That would be nice.  I'm off on the 24th and 25th, which would give me time to get it assembled.

And for those with an interest, here's a pic of my winter tree.  I have a set of miniature skis coming tomorrow, and next to be ordered: a hockey puck and a 2 different sets of ice skates.  What really stands out right now are the snow flakes and the big balls... oh, and the fact that I haven't decided what I want to use as a tree skirt.  

Of course, there are other flakes in the world besides the snowy kind.  Ken Paxton, the AG from Texas is good example.  He's ignoring the state courts and taking his suit against the 4 battleground states directly to the Supreme Court.  16 additional Republican AG's have jumped on board?  Woah, we have a bit of a storm brewing here.  I understand the Idiot Jerk in the White House has asked another Texas Flake to plead their argument should the Supreme Court decide not to just flush this turd.  They don't seem to understand how big of a failure this will be if the Supreme Court they desperately tried to stack chooses not to hear their claim.  Ouch!

Run with This

 We had a dusting of snow this morning... if you want to call it that, not enough to even get a second look.  The temps are cold, but not Cold.  

I got my Red Hot calendar yesterday and I share some of the months but this is a PG - 13 blog, language at times but no nudity.  If you want to see what I'm looking at, you can always purchase one, I understand a % of the revenue goes towards testicular cancer.

My car is going to be paid off very soon, so yesterday I splurged and ordered a T303 treadmill to use in conjunction with the cycling.  It does not have a lot of bells and whistles, and is non-interactive, meaning you don't have to sign up for Ifit or some other online, subscription training program.  I actually had to purchase it from Horizon rather than on Amazon, which is fine. 

And the Supreme Court rejected another bad case by those terrible losers, the Republicans.  Evidently Texas filed a case, too, asking them to throw out the results from Michigan, Wisconsin, Georgia, and Pennsylvania.  Someone needs to tell these Biden has already crossed the finish line and the race is over so they can stop running laps.  

I can only sit and wonder how so many Americans have fallen so out of step with reality.  Perhaps it is because of their longing for the old days that they believe this liar and cheat offers them what used to be considered 'core values' back in the late 50's and very early 60's.  He's never been anything more than a charlatan, a man who frequently weaponized the lower courts to beat down those whom he had wronged.  Now his attorneys are laughed at.  Republican judges his administration approved have called his charges fraudulent and baseless.  The truth is that he's always been a terrible businessman who fictionalized his success rate in order to feed his ego.  He always found it better to lie and run over the truth then let it jog his reality.  Now, instead of being America's CEO, he's the GOP's biggest loser.  This is Karma. 

Winter Bud

 My plan was to sleep in this morning, since Tuesday and Wednesday are my weekend, of course the dogs, with their little bladders which filled over night, decided an override was necessary.  As a result, I'm sitting here with a cup of coffee typing this at the usual time.

Because today is Tuesday, it's also Ab day.  I really do need to begin burning off the calories I've been saving up for winter.. since it's here, or will be in 2 weeks.  And a nice ride on the bike as well, is planned.  Tis the season for slumping, if you know what I mean.  There's something about the shorter days which seems to compel one to do less.  If I'm not careful, I'll turn into a bear.

One thing that is nice, is my not having to do is take my temp and do my Health Check.  The UK started vaccinating, which I'm hoping is a good thing.  There was an interesting article in the NYT on how these vaccines need to be seen as firehoses, pointing out that they work better with smaller fires.  The Covid fire in the US is raging, because of Republicans, and it's going to take some time before those flames are doused.

And the newly conservative Supreme Court handed social conservatives a 'bite in the ass' loss yesterday.  They let stand a decision which permits transgender children to use the bathroom of their current gender, rather then force them into restrooms of their birth gender.  Ouchy!  Ouchy!  This is not what those Cracker Jack Crazies have been praying for, and for them you can can bet their dismay is unraveling.

And I want to finish putting the snowflakes on my all season tree today.  At first I just had them hanging there, and then I realized they were multi-layered paper and by pulling them apart I could make them 3 dimensional.  Wowy!  Of course, that means I need to sit down and unfold them in order to make them really pop.

Yesterday, as the dogs and I were returning from our morning walk, I saw something amazing.  One of my rose bushes had put out a winter bud.  The temps are too cold for it to survive, still, it is a rather nice sign about the good things to come.

Flakes

 Well, the work week begins... again, but only for a day.  I'm scheduled off on Tuesday and Wednesday.  That's nice.  I do like my time off.  Temps are supposed to be cold.  That's fine, too.  I have heat, as well as two thermal canine units warming the bed at night.  

The decorating of the 'all season' tree continues.  Right now I'm putting on white and silver snow flakes.  Winter, you know?  I've kept one of my Chewy boxes and have designated it Winter.  I have other ornaments that I'm holding onto because they're old, from when I was a kid... and that means they're very old.  

Oh, and Rudy Gazooty's in the hospital with Covid.  He's 78 and it wouldn't surprise me if he had a whole host of health issues.  This is what comes with being a flake.  With him sidetracked for at least 2 weeks, the Idiot Jerk needs to rely on Jenna Ellis (?) to lead his baseless fight of fraudulent claims.  Not surprisingly, she has no legal experience regarding constitutional law, however, she is a bottle blond and flakey, and that's always a major plus for the Idiot Jerk in the White House.

And Rudy isn't the only one who's 78, so's Streisand.  I don't know about others who are approaching their senior years, but that seems so odd to me.  I can remember Alan Light, back when I lived in Fairview Heights, exuberantly talking about her, in fact it was at his house that I first heard her sing "Sam, You Made the Pants Too Long."  That was 54 years ago.  I have difficulty at times comprehending so many years have passed.  Son of a bitch!

Hello... It's me

 Sunday.  Yesterday was busier than I thought it was going to be and as a result went by fast.  I am definitely not opposed to fast days at work.  I did have some customers who were moving into a new house (for them) before Christmas and wanted new carpeting put in.  Sorry, that dance card is already filled.  Right now we're looking at installs sometime in the first week of January.  

Rather than have a Holiday Party, we're going to be celebrating the '6 Days of Christmas.'  Lots of food on the near horizon, so I had to check out the calendar - I only work 4 of the 6 days.  I'm going to be their for the Mission Bar-B-Cue day, but will miss out on the sub and sandwich day.  Oh, and I'm going to be getting a little basket.  Believe me, I'd rather have a bigger basket than a smaller one, but when it comes to baskets beggars can't be choosers. 

And I took a picture of myself while taking my temp at work.  Because the scanner didn't like my camera in front of my face, you can't see I was a scorching 96.7 (F).  Yeah, now you know.  I'm cold.  Been that way all of my life.

Oh, and the Idiot Jerk held another super spreader event yesterday down in Georgia.  This was after he called the Republican Governor and threw some sort of shit fit over the phone, demanding a special section of the legislature be called in order to give their electoral votes to him.  I saw an interesting comment about that phone call, referencing the Idiot Jerk's phone call to the Ukraine.  Similarities, you know?  Angry demands by a rotten loser.  

And I saw where there's talk of starting to sanction the Idiot Jerk's baseless lawsuits.  Evidently there is concern they might begin to overwhelm the legal system.  Do you think he cares?  Nah.

The Biggest Loser in the World

 So, I'm back to work for 3 days.  Oh, and it's the 5th of December.  Pre Covid 19 a Kids Workshop would have been scheduled today at the store.  Now there are no sounds of little hammers pounding away 50 feet from the Flooring Desk.  No longer are there tiny smears of paint all over the restrooms.  This is almost peace and quiet.  Interestingly enough, sales have not declined.  Parents can still stop by the Service Desk and pick up a cute little project for their children to build in the Covid free environment of their home.  They don't get the little aprons, though, and quite often I believed that was the biggest draw, getting a teeny weeny Home Depot apron.  And in case you're wondering, mostly it was the parents that built the project.  Still, I do feel sorry that they have to miss this because of bad decisions made by the biggest loser in the world.

And sadly, I have 2 dead fish.  Gouramis.  They're usually very easy to keep.  Mine seem to be having problems.  Everything else is doing well.  My angels are almost 4 inches from top to bottom, which I find amazing since they started out just a little bigger than my thumbnail.

As far as I can tell, Biden's administration is going to be the most diverse in the history of this country.  Many of those filling up the positions worked for the Obama administration which I think is very smart.  He needs to put people in place who have the experience to six all of the problems created by the Idiot Jerk.  Believe me, there are holes and there are problems.  This failed president was far more interested in Loyalty than quality.  If you bowed down in supplication, you were in, no matter how unqualified you might be.  Scott Atlas is a primary example.  He's a loser.  Another one is Jenna Ellis, who it appears is nothing more than a hokey pokey attorney with very little experience under her belt.  Maybe that's why she works so well with Giuliani.

And finally, many are wondering if the Idiot Jerk will put in an appearance at Biden's inauguration.  I wouldn't bet money on it.  He will never concede the election, so how could he possible attend?  Do you honestly think he could sit and watch a man he and his spawn charged with having diminished faculties take the Oath of Office?  To do so would be to acknowledge that he's the biggest loser in the world.

Boycott The Vote

 Another cool morning outside and we have precipitation moving onto the weather map, probably a mixture of flurries and drizzle, with maybe some rain later in the day.  We have much colder weather in the forecast.  Nightly temps are supposed to drop into the 20's (F).  For those who don't remember, this is somewhat similar to the weather patterns we had last year, a cold December.  If this is a repeat, our winter will be more or less a continuation of our autumn.

My friend Betsy called last evening.  She received a $125 gift card from her company as a Christmas Bonus.  She was rather unhappy since she doesn't shop at Amazon.  After going through some serious financial trouble, she monitors her every penny and that means no laptop... no internet.  She uses the computers at work when she needs one.  Solution?  She's going to send them to me and I'll send her a check.  One of these days she's going to have to bite the bullet and invest.

I removed Grace's web this morning, it was bigger than I had thought.  

One of my fellow associates came to work yesterday.  He closes the department.  I guess the Idiot Jerk's niece, Mary, was on the The View yesterday.  Evidently she said he would never resign so Pence could pardon him, that would mean admitting he was defeated.  She also said he was dangerous for this same reason.  This I can believe.  And the Republican Party, the ones who enabled both him and his base are discovering he is not the Blessing they thought he was.  You see, they thought he was going to win the election.  Now they're stuck with a whining sack of shit who's beginning to hate America.  And there's a runoff election coming up in Georgia.  Many of his base believe his baseless lies about voter fraud and as a result are threatening to boycott the election.  This party is in a world of shit.  Good for them.  Being the true, loyal American I am, I hope many do boycott the election... or better yet, vote for the Democrats.

The Devil went down to Georgia

It's a bit chilly willy this morning, with the temp sitting around 28 (F).  There's some form of precipitation heading into the area tomorrow, which is a day off for me.  I'm not anticipating a lot of lawn work being done.

Yesterday was rather slow at work, this is normal.  Slowdown time.  Are installers are evidently booked through Christmas, so anyone trying to impress those friends and relatives foolish enough to visit over the holidays are out of luck... maybe in more ways then one.

Covid is breaking records all over the place... as predicted by the men of science.  Record infections, record hospitalizations, record deaths.  The White House Task Force released a statement saying we were in a dire time.  Okay, can someone tell me who exactly is running the White House Task Force?  Wasn't it supposed to be Mike Pence?  He's been awfully quiet here of late.  He must be sitting in some back room planning his 2024 campaign.  I know both Birx and Fauci have been talking to what Republicans call the Lame Stream media, but I suspect their orbits are too far outside that of the Idiot Jerk in the White House to hold any weight with his crumbling government.

And I guess the Idiot Jerk in the White House released some sort of 46 minute lie-a-thon video yesterday which I'm sure many of his base will cherish.  There's concern about his upcoming visit to Georgia.  Can anybody hear shades of Charlie Daniels?  People are worried it might incite violence.  Do you really think he'd care if people get hurt?  Nope.  Everyone, everything is expendable in his craven need to maintain his grip on power.  You see, in Russia this would work.  Not here.  Americans actually like their Democracy.

Oh, and Ivanka Danka was deposed yesterday.  I wonder how much of the money supposedly spent on the Idiot Jerk's inauguration ended up in her bank account.

And finally, something to brighten your day.  A picture of my Christmas Cactus in full bloom taken this morning with the sunlight shinning brightly through the front window.

Pre-emptive Pardons All Around

 Oh my gosh!  I slept late today, perhaps because I had a busy day yesterday, that included a bike ride in Flanders.  There was laundry, too, and a walk with the dogs, and some time with the aquarium.  The later entailed a quick trip to my local PetSmart.  While changing the filter, I discovered my inline heater had stopped working.  After adjusting the temperature a few times, and uttering a few salty son-of-bitches, I realized I needed a replacement.  Rather then purchase another inline heater as that involved water issues, I chose a standard in-tank model.  Now the fish are warm and happy.

We had snow last night.  

A big Congrats to Elliot Page.  Over time he has become more and more politically involved, so I would not be surprised if his future isn't destined to be in public service.  I can see him as a very vocal senator.

And there are a lot of headlines swirling around the possibility of the Idiot Jerk in the White House handing out a boatload of pre-emptive pardons.  Evidently there is some precedent in that Ford pardoned Nixon before charges could be filed.  Blanket pre-emptive pardons don't work.  He can't just hand them out to his three oldest children, and squirmy faced Jared, like Christmas presents.  And Sean Hannity has recommended he pre-emptively pardon himself... from what?  You'd think the Republicans had put some crime family into the White House. (Can you hear me laughing?)

And Billy Barr says "no fraud!  no fraud!" (I'm still laughing.)  The fact that Billy through his boss under the bus has more to do with saving his own skin then anything.  In case Billy hasn't realized it, he just shit away his pre-emptive pardon.

Hard Lessons

 For those of you who haven't realized it yet, in 3 weeks the days are going to begin getting longer... again.  That's a very good reason to look forward to the winter equinox.  

Ending in less time, on December 7, also known as Pearl Harbor Day, will be the enrollment period for Medicare supplemental plans.  For those of you under 65, or who don't live in the US, this is the time of year when us older people get continually harassed by Cigna, and Aetna, and Mutual of Omaha, and United Healthcare, and the list goes on and on ad nauseum.  This has little to do with providing seniors with better health coverage, rather this onslaught has more to do with these companies hitting their forecasted 5% annual growth.  It's all about the money.

Surprisingly, I got 4 measures yesterday.  This time of year installs normally begin to slow down - no one wants their doors opening and closing constantly during the cold times.  Heat can be expensive.  Yet, even in this time of Covid people are willing to open up their houses to strangers.  Have I told you I live in a Conservative area where many, while wearing masks, still believe this pandemic is not nearly as bad as the media claims.  

I saw where the Idiot Jerk in the White House has raise about $170 million for his 'stop the steal' campaign.  Republicans refuse to accept the evil nature of his attempt to undermine our Democracy, but they they have leaned towards a socially conservative dictatorship for some time now.  They need to be in charge.  It's a conservative issue.  And they lie... a lot, about everything they don't like.  This is why they fit the Idiot Jerk like a glove.  They don't realize that after this thing is over the money they're raising will find it's way into his pockets, and Ivanka Danka's pockets, and Donny Jr's pockets, and even Eric the Dumb will get some.  They don't understand there is no way they can stop the steal.  This is who he is, and hard lessons will need to be learned and I doubt very much if they will ever learn the error of their ways.

Changes

 I get to go to work today... for just today, since tomorrow I'm scheduled off.  For the next few weeks schedules are going to be a little more erratic then usual.  Christmas is coming.  Because I'm in retail, and because the large home improvement retailer I work for is making heaps of cash, we've been working 40 hours during holiday weeks and also getting our holiday pay.  That comes to a screeching halt with Christmas and New Year's Day.  I don't mind.  32 hours a week is fine with me.

Presents for the dogs were ordered yesterday: another fluffy duck and another rubber chicken.  They're only getting one each this year, mostly because they don't play with them the way they did when they were younger.  Now, they're more interested in getting treats.

Yesterday I got so much accomplished.  I was rather pleased with myself.  Even a little project I had been working on was wrapped up, for the most part.  A while back I had ordered a teeny, tiny table for behind my desk to hold CD's, and a nice little speaker system.  White, and made of OSB, I knew I needed to improve it's appearance.  So I spray painted it and tiled the top.  This is what it looks like now.  A vast improvement.  I have some spare tiles I'm going to glue around the edge, probably tomorrow, to finish off the job.

I understand the Idiot Jerk gave some sort of interview yesterday... and lied.  What else is new.  This man will lie from here to Hell and back... well, maybe not back.  He might just find a nice, toasty chair to sit in, on the left hand of his father.

And Biden made some news, too.  No, I'm not going to bring the hairline fracture in his foot.  I'm talking about his all female Communications Team.  Do you hear that rustling sound, like dried leaves scrapping against dying twigs?  That's old, white, Republicans shaking their heads in dismay.  Their decrepit beliefs hate change, they'd rather stay stuck in the drying mud of time hoping some will survive antiquity to become fossils.