Not Nearly

 My weekend begins today.  That sounds odd when you consider my workweek only started yesterday.  Hours wise, this will be a lite week for me, only 20.4 hours spread out over 3 days, the longest being on Thursday when I'll be working almost a full 8 hours.  This is fine.

For those who don't keep track, 1962 Americans died of Covid over the past 24 hours.  You can guess who they were.  More power to them and their freedom.  I don't think they understand that freedom is a two way street: we no longer have to listen to them bitch and moan about how their freedom to mask, or not to mask, to get vaccinated, or not, is more important than curtailing the spread of Covid.

Last evening I watched "Journey to the Center of the Earth," the 1959 version.  I remembered seeing it as a kid when 20th Century Fox re-released it (studios did that back then since were no streaming services and VHS players were in the distant future).  I later read the novel and realized the movie had very little in common with Jules Verne's story, which had neither romance, nor Pat Boone running around wearing only a pair of shorts for over an hour.  Two things I decided after last night's viewing:  Pat Boone was extremely well tanned when he made the movie, and he was not nearly as attractive I originally thought.

And, how about that fight between Boebert and Ohnan?  For those who haven't been paying attention, the short version is that Boebert said Ohnan might be a terrorist.  They had some sort of conference call which was supposed to lessen the tension, and which failed.  Keep in mind, Boebert is white, unintelligent, and a Cracker Jack Crazy Christian.  Ohnan is a Muslim.  Boebert is desperate because she realizes that for varying reasons, including Covid, every day there are less people like her in the United States and more people like Ohnan.  In the end, things will go badly for Boebert because of her inability to come to terms with reality.  No loss.

More Power to Them

 Well, it's Monday, the beginning of a new, three day work week for me.  I'm scheduled for a little over 20 hours this week.  I can deal with that.

Yesterday was very slow at work, which helped me get my steps in: well over 15,000.  I was pleased.  Today I plan on getting a long walk in on the treadmill before heading in.  No goal has been set.  I'm not one for setting goals, not because I'm worried I won't achieve them, rather there are times when life just gets in the way and something with a higher precedence happens.

And how are things going with my back?  Well, I've begun to put the heating pads away, not all of them mind you, just the two that seemed like they were going to provide a lot of help and didn't.  One, I just might throw away.

The puppy nsaids I give to Biggie for his arthritis work well.  He is really bouncy again, something which might make a lot of people uncomfortable because of his size.  Well, they'll just have to get over it, won't they?

As for Omicron... As always with every new strain, there are always questions.  I'm boosted, so hopefully my ass is going to be protected.  They're suspecting it's going to be more contagious, the symptoms may not be anymore severe, however the more people who get sick with it, the greater the strain on our health care system.  That's the problem.  Stupid anti-vaxers don't understand that.  Right now, America is losing about 1200 anti-vaxers per day.  You would think they'd learn... but they won't.  Hey, more power to them.

I just took a look out the window in the computer / cycling room and the air is gray with snow flurries.  No accumulation is expected.  That's fine.

The Dipshit

 Yesterday was another slow jog at work.  This is not the time of year for people to think of installing new floors.  They brought in Chik-fil-a sandwiches for lunch, or as one of my fellow associates called them 'Jesus chicken.'  I wouldn't pay for it, but I'm not going to turn down free food, either.

Thanks to an hour on the treadmill before I left for work, I had in over 13,000 steps yesterday.  When I do that, my back is good for the day, it's not until I early in the evening that it begins to get achy.  I figure I must be doing something right.  I'd like to be able to go to my Pain Management appointment and tell them they took too long, that I healed myself.

We also had a dusting of snow last night, barely enough to cover the windshield of my car.  If this year plays out the same as the last two years, the only snow we're going to get will be in December.

So, we have this dipshit working in our plumbing department.  There is no connection between the word plumbing and dipshit, in case you're wondering, though, at your own discretion, you can replace dipshit with conservative since they're the same thing in this case.  He was going on and on about Kenosha, the 2nd amendment, and how there needed to be a god because we needed a creator to start everything.  It got to the point where I started telling him to go away.  "Go back to your own department," I told him several times, and that his opinions weren't wanted.  And that dipshit thought I was joking.

Oh, and in case you're a little confused by the articles in the news, Omicron is already here.  Now, isn't that ominous?  Oh, and the dipshit?  He's not concerned because he believes Omicron is bullshit.

Sondheim

 My Black Friday at the store was... boring, no customers came to the flooring department and I was never needed in appliances.

And then, just after dinner, as I was sitting at my desk working on the next book, the headline flashed that Stephen Sondheim had died.  Ah, yes, this was Black Friday.

I was lucky enough to see three of his shows on Broadway and each, in its own way, was riveting.  The first I saw when I was in college.  I, and two of my friends, jaunted up to New York to see a little show titled Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street, with Angela Lansbury as Mrs. Lovett, no less.  Amazing.  The show turned Broadway on its ears.  How audacious!  To write a show with great music, great lyrics, and then mix in a little blood and revenge.  I was hooked on Sondheim.

Then, when I was working for Marriott, I went to see Sunday in the Park with George.  The friend I went with was expecting some bold and splashy.  That was not the case.  Instead, we got to see Mandy Patinkin and Bernadette Peters doing what they do best, sing great lyrics to great music.  Sitting in the 14th row of the orchestra, this show was simply amazing.

A few years later I saw my third and last Sondheim show on Broadway, a little thing called Into the Woods.  This is, I believe, the most accessible of Sondheim's musicals.  Into the Woods is that bold and splashy musical (at least as far as Sondheim could go) people had been waiting for.

The movie versions are... well, some of them are passable.  However, if you get a chance to see a Sondheim show on the stage, do so.  They can be almost life changing.

History 101

 So, what can I say?  My house smells like turkey?  It does.  I cook mine in a very large electric roasting pan (a really big one), and I have to admit the smell of a fowl that large cooking is not too damn appetizing... until about the last half hour, then the house smells delectable.  Also on the menu were homemade potato stuffing (with tons of celery and onion lightly fried in olive oil) and lemon bars.  The bars tuned out a little too chewy, but still tasty.  I'm going to blame the chewiness on the fact that this was a new recipe.  The stuffing?  Almost became a divinely succulent the main course.   In fact, they're going to be my breakfast.

And yesterday Sixpence posted a little something from some ass named Robert Raymond who attempted to vilify what he called the Mayflower Expedition.  I really get tired of people who point to one specific individual, or group, and blame them for American history.  Evidently his education is lacking, otherwise he'd have known that everybody was doing this.  The English were also down in Virginia, the Dutch were doing the same thing in New Amsterdam (we call it New York), the French in New Orleans, and don't forget the Spanish who liked Florida.  If you speak Spanish, you owe your language skills to the atrocities wrought by your forefathers.  Overall, as a species, we have not been generous to the native peoples of America.  Our great, great, great, great grandparents were all guilty, with no exception.  So, let's stop singling out one person, or one group, and saying they were terrible because by some of the standards we hold today, they did terrible things.

My apologies to the Swedes, I failed to mention them

On a brighter note, I get to go sell appliances today... for 5 hours.  I took a good look at my schedule and realized that except for one day in 2 weeks, all my work days start at noon.  I can live with that.

My acorns

Happy Thanksgiving, y'all!

We all got a nice gift yesterday from Georgia.  Did anybody else notice the profound silence after the verdicts were read?  There is such a thing as justice in this country.

And, of course, today is a holiday.  I'll be spending it with the two dogs and an 18 pound Butterball.  The temps are to hit the mid 50's (F), so I will also go out and rake the leaves from my front yard.  Some may enjoy the family gatherings, but for me, this quietude is good.  I told my brother this might have something to do with my age.

And, I decided, to celebrate the holiday, I decided to show you my acorns.

Burner Phones

Yesterday was different, somehow oddly out of sync.  I took a friend for an out patient procedure in the morning which was supposed to take about 3 hours... well, I was called after and hour and told the procedure was complete.  I budgeted for 3 and used 1.5.  I expected to have to sign for my Xbox Series X when it arrived... not the case.  I received a text telling me my new, expensive console was sitting on my front porch.  Oh, and speaking of the Xbox Series X:  Lily found the console fascinating, even though she can't play... no fingers.

And nutritionally speaking, yesterday was also a bust.  I ended up eating taquitos and hot dogs.  So much for my street cred on being a healthy eater. Well, it happens to the best of us now and then.

My Xbox Series S has been reset and is ready to go to it's new owner.  That will happen Sunday.  

I didn't use the treadmill at all.  I told myself I was taking a rest day.  I then felt slightly guilty because I know how much it helps.  I can feel a bike ride coming up soon.

A headline flashed on my email last evening from the Dallas Morning News.  Evidently the good people of Texas do now want their politicians (read Republican) deciding what books should be in their school libraries.   This is what happens when you have a small, minority group in power that doesn't give a shit about the majority.  Trying to appeal to the 33% who love you while ignoring the other 67% of the voters is going to get you into deep trouble.

And then there was this about the use of burner phones on January 6.  No wonder Loser #45's team is desperately trying to keep the communications logs for that infamous day cloaked in Executive Privilege.  Some how I doubt very much if Eric was calling out to a rioter asking him to pick up a pizza (no mushrooms) for the coup party that evening.  

Finally, I have to mention Sean Parnell, the Trump backed candidate who wanted to take over Pat Toomey's seat.  My, his campaign ended with a terrible thud after custody of his two children was handed over to his wife.  You see, Sean has a problem with verbal and physical abuse, two of the many things Republicans will overlook in a marriage.  Remember, they're the patriarchal party.  Except, this sort of shit doesn't play well with voters.  So, Sean is gone.  Tough shit.

Versatility

So, I begin a 3 day mini-vaca today, if that's what you want to call it.  I will be back in the store on Black Friday, from 11-4... selling appliances.  That's a safe time.  Our appliance sale has been going on for a few weeks now; no Black Friday specials.  We tell customers that so they don't hold off on buying their next stove or refrigerator.  

I walked over 12,000 steps yesterday, about half of that on the treadmill at 2 miles per hour.  The back is feeling better.  I'm anxious to get back on the bike and start riding again.

The Xbox Series X is arriving today.  I've got to reset the Series S.  It didn't take long to find a buyer, since they're like hen's teeth.  I work with a woman who's a collector.  She has a number of vintage gaming consoles, some over 30 years old that are now worth a fortune.  If I had realized back then that my Nintendo would bring big bucks today, I'd never have thrown it into the trash.  Of course, we never think: "hey, if I hold onto this, in 30 years I can sell it and rent a chateau in France for a month."

Yesterday I posted a video of The Band Camino and Sixpense thought they sounded similar to Kings of Leon (they don't), here's another video by them which demonstrates their versatility. 

I saw where Loser #45 has had his Super Pac polling states regarding a second run by him for president.  Will he or won't he?  Is this just a way to welch more cash from the brainless MAGA hoards?  And just think, we all know how faulty polls are close to the election, how bad can the be 3 years out?

 

Ephemeral Music

 Remember when I said the dogs loved Hill's Science Diet?  Well, they've turned fickle.  Now it doesn't even get a wag of their tales.  Good thing I still have a big bag of Beneful.  This morning I'll mix the two together.  This happened once before with a Purina Chicken food, where the scent of it made them voracious and then, after I bought a very large bag, they started turning up their nose at it.

And, speaking of this morning, I thought my shift at the store began at 9:30 and so I set my alarm for early....  Wrong.  I don't have to be their until 12:30.  This means I can get a long walk in today.  Yesterday I have over 10,000 steps.  I'm only wearing flat soled shoes.  Now, maybe, I'll be able to start work on losing those 15 pandemic pounds I gained.

We had rain again, an on and off shower that last through the night.  Tomorrow, the temps are supposed to be up in the 50's (F) so I'll go out and rack leaves.  Fun stuff.

My sister called and invited me to her home for Thanksgiving.  I politely declined.  Things are just not the same as they were when we were younger.  Neither of us have any real interest in "getting" together, perhaps because we talk regularly on the phone.  This is the same thing with my brother.  He and I have breakfast together now and then.  We talk.  We send each other texts.  I'm trying to introduce him to modern music.  So far, no reaction from him on The Band Camino's "One Last Cigarette."  I don't know about you, but 'been there, done that' in one way or another.

Evidently the American Music Awards were held yesterday.  I saw the headline and checked out the article.  Firstly, I have no idea whom BTS is.  As far as I know, I have never listened to K-Pop.  A lot of the nominees were from groups and individuals whom I have never heard of; their music doesn't play on the one Sirius XM station I listen to... occasionally.  When I think back to my youth (yes, that long ago) and I remember that The Beatles "Let it Be" was considered pop music, and then listen to what is considered pop music today, I find myself dismayed.  Pop music has never been this ephemeral, and each song's life span is only growing shorter.

Out Armed and stupid

 Well, it's Sunday and I have to work a weird shift: 2 - 7.  Five hours means I don't get a lunch, but I will take a break where I will snack upon one of my cinnamon rolls.  One thing different about this recipe is that before baking, you pour a cup of heavy cream over the pan which forms a gooey, tasty sauce in the bottom of the pan.  Simply scrumptious.

I've been hitting the treadmill regularly, choosing jogs (though I walk) in major cities.  There is a great one through Central Park, and yesterday I was in the UK... London, to be precise.  Filmed a while back, no one is in masks.  The walk in the park?  A lot of people are wearing masks.  Yesterday I hit a speed of 2 miles per hour without holding onto the side rails.  I was very pleased.

Biggie's booboo belly has been replaced with the most odious gas that's so bad you want to leave the room.  Of course, being a dog, he thinks his every fart smells like lavender and rose petals.

I also bought myself a Butterball turkey.  17 pounds.  That sounds big for just one person and... well, I suppose it is.  But the dogs will share.  They'll get the skin.  Remember, most of that bird is going to be frozen for later.  The label says all natural without hormones, so I guess they also sell birds with prosthetics that are genderless.

Evidently there were no large scale protests about the Rittenhouse verdict, mostly, I suspect, because many already suspected what the outcome was going to be.  One of the things I found rather amusing was some of the MAGAs waiting outside the courthouse shouted "2nd amendment!"  These people are so damn stupid.  Losers like Boebert, and that bottled blond Marjorie (something or other) lie to themselves constantly.  They, like Madison Cawthorn (Sp?) believe those of us who want gun control are anti-gun.  Because of this illogical thinking, they've jumped to the conclusion that on those who shriek 2nd amendment own guns. Who in Hell do they think bought guns when Trump got his electoral college win?  Duh.  The idea that someone who is not a conservative would even consider buying a gun is totally alien to them.  How many times do I have to tell you, these people are dumb as hell.  Most of them make Kyle Rittenhouse look like a genius... and that ain't saying much.  The idea that they are out-armed doesn't even enter their consciousness.  

Nuts

 Biggie didn't eat his dinner because he had a booboo belly, it made cranky noises all night.  He's fine today.  He's on a low dose NSAID for dogs because of his arthritis (it runs in the family).  He's supposed to get 2 when he needs them.  Usually, I give him 1.  Yesterday he was really stiff, so he got 2.  I don't think his belly was ready for 2.

Today I'm changing the media in my tank.  The filter is on the bottom shelf of the stand, that means not only bending over, but getting down on my knees.  Not fun stuff for me.  Still, it has to be done regularly.

For those interested, there will be a Dr. Who reference in The Body in Repose.

Oh, and I ordered the last of my Christmas Presents yesterday.  An Xbox Series X.  The top of the line.  Since I already have a Series S, I'm going to sell that one.  Usually I give things away, but it's only 4 months old, and it was $300, and it's paid for, so I'm going to try and offset the cost of the Series X.  The new console should be arriving on Wednesday.

I baked cinnamon rolls yesterday with nuts.  The recipe didn't call for walnuts, but I like them, so they were chopped up and mixed with the cinnamon filling.  Oh, and I didn't put cream cheese in the frosting, my attempt to keep them from being overwhelmingly rich.

On the Rittenhouse verdict:  His defense won the case when he broke down sobbing on the witness stand.  Listening to him, and watching his mother, I gather he is possibly a little below average intelligence.  Conservatives love people like him, and as such, he will now be their tool, quite probably for the rest of his life.  The message sent was that vigilantism is okay, which is not good.  Conservatives don't understand vigilantism is a 2 way street, and this trial set a very high precedent.  Outside the courthouse several people shouted out "2nd amendment!"  That made me laugh because these assholes believe they are the only ones to own guns.  Pardon my French, but these people are fucking nuts.

Moms from Hell

For some of you, this is the end of the work week.  For me, it's just another day off.  

I ended up going to work late yesterday because my Christmas gift to myself was being delivered.  And I was told I needed to monitor my tardiness... Ouch.  I got to work late 3 times since July, (4 counting yesterday) and the great Orange Retailer I work for has policies.  No problem.  I mean, it's not like I was testing the system... well, maybe kind of.

A bit on fitness:  for years I've been under the belief that you should drink a protein shake prior to working out, or during the workout.  Protein helps build muscles, right?  Well, it turns out that if you're trying to burn fat calories, that's the wrong thing to do.  You end up burning the calories in the shake.  Those who drink the shake after the workout end up burning more fat calories.  If you think about it, it makes perfect sense.

So I made those Moroccan chicken meatballs.  Lots of spices: paprika, ginger, cinnamon, cumin, with a little brown sugar.

If you remember, I said I thought it odd they were using chicken, a mild meat, rather than lamb or goat.  Well, I was right.  They look delish, but all you taste are the spices and the yogurt, lemon, garlic sauce.

If you're really into spices, you might love them.  I thought they were rather meh.

And I saw that the Republicans up in New Hampshire voted for censorship of their school libraries.  As might be expected a group of conservative women, Moms for Liberty, Tweeted out they would pay a $500 bounty to those reporting teachers breaking this law.  Governor Sununu called their Tweet bullshit.  Does he really believe that's going to stop these hatemongers?  The Mom's of Liberty are desperately trying to take us into an authoritarian government which censors everything it doesn't like.  These are the kind of Moms that Josh Hawley should hate since their main goal is emasculate society.

Bring 'Em On

Well, I'm supposed to work today... maybe.  I ordered a new Samsung tablet that's supposed to arrive?  You guessed it, today.  The last thing I want is to have it waiting for me on my front porch while I sit quietly behind the flooring desk.  Oh, and today will be  quiet sit, mostly because rain is in the forecast.  We're supposed to hit a high in the lower 70's (F), but then the temps are supposed to drop.  This is part of that big thing which moved in from the Northwest a few days ago.  So, I'll call and tell them I'll be in after the tablet gets delivered.  If the delivery time is late, I'll just take the day off.

I went to see Eternals last evening.  I liked it... a lot.  I'm serious.  This movie has been getting some terrible reviews, complaints about the action scenes not skewing right with the personal storylines, one reviewer going so far as to say it's like watching 2 different movies spliced together poorly.  What you do get is a very diverse cast of characters with intimate storylines that make you think.  Thinking is a problem for some fans of superhero movies.  So is diversity.  Up until now, the Marvel Comics Universe has been populated by white Americans.  This movie not only changes that, it turns it upside down.  The truth is most of those giving bad reviews are simply not ready for the changes. Me?  I say bring 'em on.

I understand Loser #45 released some sort of hate filled, rambling statement yesterday regarding Biden's infrastructure win, damning it to Hell and back.  He claims it's a communist agenda.  He's such a dumb shit.  Communism died a long time ago.  Neither China nor Russia have a communist government, they're authoritarian.  MAGA's do not know that.  They never will.  What they dream about, however, is having a similar authoritarian government in America.  One in which they can say "shut up, we're in charge."  They also have no idea what kind of repercussions an authoritarian government would unleash in this country.  Americans have never been know to acquiesce quietly.  They do not understand the unified force they would be up against. 

Worm Rescue

 Contrary to what some may believe, going part-time has given me a greater awareness of the days of the week.  Perhaps this is because my work calendar changes.  Days no longer run into each other.  For example, this week I work Thursday and Sunday, so when I look at my calendar those days stand out.

And, speaking of Thursdays, next week is Thanksgiving.  One of the gathering holidays, when we're supposed to give thanks.  I know the pilgrims supposedly gave thanks because they had managed to survive a year in the New World.  Survival has changed, but it is still an integral part of our daily lives.    Even though I enjoy the holiday, I do think we need to temper our belief that this is just a gathering moment for family and friends.  When I was growing up, Thanksgiving meant the men stayed in the living room until it was time to enjoy a turkey meal, and the women stayed in the dining room and kitchen cooking, and serving, and cleaning, and then eating, but only after the men had eaten their fill.  For many families this is still the case.  There just aren't enough seats at the table for every body to sit down and eat at the same time.  This is not a gathering.

Speaking of survival.  Yesterday, as I was taking out the garbage, I looked down to see an earthworm shriveling up on the ground.  It's cold out, with night temps dropping down into the low 30's (F).  Worms are not intelligent.  They have a simple nervous system, no brain.  When a worm says "you're getting on my last nerve," he means it.  He only has one.  So, I upped that earthworm's chances of survival.  I picked him up and dropped him in an empty terrarium I have, dropped in a couple handfuls of leaves, and sprinkled everything with water.  I have no idea if this is going to work.  Has anyone out there ever tried worm rescue before?

And what about Gary Palmer, Republican representative from Alabama taking credit for the infrastructure bill he voted against?  Yep, this loser sure did.  Here's his website where he takes credit.  I called him a lying sack of shit on Twitter.  I'd have sent him an email, but you need to be a member of his district to get that privilege.  There is a phone number on his website where you can call and leave a voicemail.  Loser.

Squat

 Odd week coming up.  I only work 3 days: Monday, Thursday and Sunday.  The following week is Thanksgiving, and while I work 4 days the hours are short.  We are entering the short hour season. This does not mean there is a shortage of customers, just that they tend to purchase either big ticket items, or the Black Friday stuff clogging our aisles like so much in a bellicose Republican's arteries.

Today is laundry day.  I have numerous loads lining the upstairs hallway all sorted and ready to be popped into the washer.  Fun stuff, eh?

I'm going to try my hand at making some Moroccan spiced chicken meatballs, chicken because around here it's difficult to get lamb, and goat is impossible.  I will let you know how they taste.

The improvements continue in my back.  There are long periods when I'm pain free.  Bending can pinch the nerve, so getting out of the car must be done carefully.  If I need to pick something up that's down low, I squat.  Squats are good for your glutes.  I hate them.  Always have.

This is not me, though I do have a bit of a beard which needs to be trimmed.

I see where Covid cases are beginning to pick up in the North East among the unvaccinated.  Perhaps we should throw a little Covid party and get more of them infected.  For a while I was telling those I know that this virus is like Chicken Pox, if you're not vaccinated you're going to get it, sooner or later.  Now I tell them to not come whining if they get sick and need to be hospitalized.

And there's another new book out about Loser #45 (don't it seem like there's a new one dropping every other day?).  Evidently, Mnuchin and Pompeo discussed removing him using the 25th amendment after the January 6 riot.  The sad thing about all of these books is that MAGA's never read them.  For them, reading truth is like desecrating an Indian Burial Ground, all sorts of evil shit comes out to get them.

Climate Change

 So, the new work week begins today.  I'm scheduled for a full 8 hours.  Of course, I only work 2 other days this week, Wednesday and Sunday, so I guess I'll survive.

And yesterday was steady at work.  I will tell you, for all the griping about the economy, we are busy as hell.  They may have started some pre-Black Friday sale-a-thon I'm not aware of, but customers were packing in through the front doors until late afternoon.  

And I'm kind of not dealing with a customer from California over the phone.  He wants to have in-stock blinds installed.  We don't do that for several reasons, the biggest being there's a good possibility we're not going to have the proper width blinds in stock.  I told him this when he set up the measure.  I've repeated this several times and he keeps saying, "we've got to figure out how to get the blinds at a lower price, it's a rental."  If he wants in-stock blinds, he will need to send his maintenance person, if he has a maintenance person, into the store to buy them, and then install them.  Maybe he should have thought of this before buying an investment property 4000 miles away.

And now a bit about Climate Change.

Everybody except Conservatives and certain religious groups understand this is happening, they deny because of their greed, or their preference of scripture over science, or both.  Because of this group, the coming changes will be devastating for some.  Besides droughts, floods, storms and fires, one of the things Climate Change will do is spur Evolution.  Those who can better survive the heat will adapt and thrive.  The same is true for animal and plant life.  Greed may be tempered for a while.  What will definitely go extinct is the life we know of today.  Religious beliefs will also either evolve or die off.  The weak Climate Accord over 200 countries signed will slow this process down, but not stop it.  This is good in that the longer we have, the number of species that can adapt and survive will increase.  What will we look like in a couple hundred years?  I would not be surprised if the Sahara blooms again.

Healthy

 Cool Sunday morning here.  That's fine.  We're heading towards winter so things might be getting a bit cooler.  Of course, winter's difficult to predict right now that Climate Change is upon us.  Last year old man winter was a little feeble.  We'll have to see if he's picked up any strength in the past 10 months, or if he's going to turn reclusive, at least in this part of the country.

I'm only scheduled to work 5 hours today.  No lunch break.  I'll take a banana and some snacks.  I bought a cantaloupe, so I'll probably take some of that.  Yesterday, while I was eating lunch, an older associate  asked "do you always eat healthy?"  Take a second and think about that question.  For breakfast I'm making my standard oatmeal:  almonds, walnuts, cinnamon and honey.  What will this associate eat?  Probably a frozen Jimmy Dean sausage egg biscuit, high in fat and sodium.  By the way, most people don't have a 2000 calorie diet, even when I'm active, riding about 10 miles every other day, I stay below 1800 calories.

There was a lot of commentary about Kevin McCarthy's silence regarding Gosar's violent anime, the one where he kills AOC.  The anime disappeared soon after it was Tweeted, having already fulfilled it's purpose.  All the while McCarthy says nothing... well, actually, he says a lot.  The craven stench for power surrounds him.  He will allow anything to happen if it helps him become Speaker of the House.  Don't forget, that position puts him just a few steps away from the presidency.  His hunger for power is so great, nothing is sacred to him.

  

The indictment

 And a happy Saturday morning to all.  Here in Central PA it's raining.  So, what else is new?

Yesterday was a good day off.  I had my booster vaccine.  Getting there early didn't move me through the line any faster because of that 15 minute wait after being vaccinated.  No reaction.  No soreness.  After she stuck that sharp pointy needle in my shoulder and pulled the trigger she said, "your the second most relaxed person I've had today," and that was at nearly one in the afternoon.  I told her, "it's just a shot."

This is a work day for me.  Most weekend days are.  My real weekends will be Tuesdays and Wednesdays.  For those of you who don't know, you can get so much more done on days off during the week than you can on a Saturday and Sunday.  There are rarely any crowds.

I did some more work on the aquarium yesterday and I'm regretting I bought an acrylic tank rather than a glass one.  None of the reviews mentioned how easilyit scratches.  It does.  Son of a bitch.  I'm actually considering replacing it with a glass tank, and moving it to another location, one behind my desk. This will mean rearranging the furniture in the dining room.  I guess it's time for me to get out my tape measure.

And, for those of you living under a rock, Steve Bannon was indicted yesterday.

Will he show up to be cuffed?  I don't think so.  Being a martyr is not in this loud mouthed coward's DNA.  He will claim he's under Executive Privilege and break the law because he's a Conservative.  Of course, Conservatives have been doing this for quite some time.  The only rules that matter for them are those they, themselves, create.  They get this from Loser #45.  I would not be surprised if Bannon runs to seek asylum in... well, maybe Russia.  

Garden Party

Friday.  For some of you it's the ending of the work week.  For me?  Another day off.  Of course we have some delightful precipitation outside, which seems to becoming the normal.  If we had a bit of a wind, that breeze would stripping the leaves from the trees.  The air is still, however, they're going to have to rely on gravity.  Because we had a fairly wet summer, there are lots of leaves that will need to be raked.  The two previous years I didn't have to worry.  This year is different.

Yesterday was hectic at work.  One of my associates kept disappearing, so I needed to keep paging for assistance.  At one point, while I was designing blinds for a German woman, she mentioned 'your reclusive' associate.  I laughed, since the person in question isn't reclusive, just lazy.

One of my favorite game series is Mass Effect (except for the ending of the 3rd installment).  They studio came out with a 'legendary' edition, where they made some updates.  They put out a 4th installment called Andromeda, which didn't do well, so they put the game on hiatus for a few years.  Then suddenly 2 years ago there was a teaser trailer and the gaming world gasped in surprise at the glimpse of popular characters returning.  A few days ago, on November 7 (the day before my birthday) Bioware released a poster and the gaming world is a chatter.  Like many, I had to blow it up way out of proportion to scavenge for details.

A few interesting tidbits:  Among Americans, the only group who doesn't see climate change as serious are Republicans.  A lot of this is greed.  It's more important to make money than worry about the climate.  A lot of it is the effect of Loser #45, who many want to enshrine.  But a lot of it is also that they are stupid.  This group hates science.  They do not understand there is no way to maintain the 1950's status quo they so dearly love.  This group is going to be responsible for so much pain and suffering.

Another interesting bit is about Evangelicals.  Oh, wait, let me correct that to read White Evangelicals.  In case you haven't realized it, they proportionately dominate the Republican Party.  This group does not believe in systemic racism, since blame would fall mostly on their shoulders.  In their mind, their beliefs make them special.  They think their faith was chosen, as was their color.  If this group ever got into power, they would make the Spanish Inquisition look like a Garden Party.

Rittenhouse Rain

 Happy Veteran's Day.  I'll be celebrating... sort of.  I work today and they're bringing in lunch for all of the Veterans, and that includes me.  Mission Barbecue.  A paid day off would be preferred, but we can't have everything, can we?

While I was off, a husband and wife bought one of my hardwood jobs sold, over $15,000.  She decided she was going to apply for a credit card to get the $100.  That's understandable.  Just to let you know, the max limit I've ever seen for new credit cards has been $8000.  For her, however, her max limit was over the 15 grand.  So, what kind of money do you need to be raking in to apply for a credit card and get that kind of limit?  That is way above my paygrade.

The discomfort in my back is now a lot like a pinched nerve, but not all of the time.  I can go hours with no problems, but then I just happen to turn the wrong way.  I do think switching to my old running shoes has helped in that regard.  That and the core exercises I learned at PT the last time this happened.

I'm off tomorrow and we are going to get rain.  So, what's new about that?

Oh, and in case you didn't  hear, it rained yesterday at the Rittenhouse trial... oh, wait, that wasn't rain, those were crocodile tears from a sobbing 17 year old who claims he was terrified he was going to die.  I keep waiting to see a headline where this kid is asked "why were you there?  In another state, with a rifle you got illegally?"  Of course, that may be one of the many things this white judge, the one with Trump's campaign song as a ringtone on his phone, has made taboo.  This man, who is stunningly racists, has no idea of the firestorm he may be creating.  He's doing what white racists judges have always done, look out for his own.  As for Kyle?  This kid is stupid and his life is ruined because of that.  I suspect that his tear clouds will be hanging over his head for most of his life.

Consternation

 So, it's Wednesday and for some reason I keep thinking that it's Thursday, probably because I'm anticipating having Friday off.  In case anyone is wondering, I have every Friday off.  I'm unavailable on Fridays.  Well, I am, but I'm not, if you know what I mean.

The Black Friday clutter is beginning to take hold of the store again.  Happens every year.  They advertise this as the Pre-Black Friday, however not much is going to change for retail's holiest of holy days.  Well, they will bring out more junk.  Things the never sell, like toasters, and bar stools.  The dog beds are already out blocking the aisles.  Sorry, I would never buy a dog bed from Home Depot.

I had to relocate one of my fish yesterday, a red mollie.  He was in the teeny 5 gallon, now he's in the big tank.  Mollies are very good community fish, but this guy has a bit of an attitude.  He kept going after a golden lyre tail molly, so now he's with the green mollies.  He's also in with the angels and the golden barbs.  We'll have to see how well he adapts.

My neighbors had to put down their corgi last week, and asked if I wanted the food.  I said, sure, I don't like really mixing foods.  Two nights ago she brought over a big bag of Hill's Science Diet.  This morning my dogs each had 2 cups.  My God!  You'd have thought I'd been starving them for weeks. So I added a large bag to their Chewy's autoship.  A bit pricey, I think.

I understand there's consternation among the Republicans in regard to Biden's infrastructure bill.  McConnell has gone so far as to say it will be a godsend for Kentucky.  I suspect this bill is also going to be very well received in other less financially secure states, like Alabama, and Louisiana, and Arkansas.  These are states where for far too long the GOP has focused on putting the Ten Commandments back in classrooms, rather then high speed internet, or crumbling bridges.  States like Michigan where they tried to shove the issue of lead pipes under the carpet because to fix that issue they might have to increase taxes on the wealthy.  Yeah, the wealthy, those people who live in areas where they don't have to worry about lead in their water pipes.

Hello, Alaska

Late again with the blog.  I had breakfast with my brother this morning, my birthday breakfast, and I had French toast with a candle.  He wanted them to sing.... they didn't.  I remember having people sing to me at Red Lobster a number of years ago and disliking it immensely.  I do not need people staring at me.

Yesterday was quiet.  At some point in the past the idea of celebrating another cycle around the sun became rather unimportant.  This doesn't mean I'm not pleased to have navigated my way through another year, just that priorities have changed.  While a glass of wine is nice, I no longer feel the need to work my way through 2 liters.  The dogs still get their cake and ice cream, but for me a simple ice cream sandwich is fine.

I did spend some time watching music videos on YouTube.  Mostly alternative.  New stuff.  As I told my brother this morning, I've already lived through the old stuff.  Being satisfied to live in the past is not part of my character build.  This is a good alternative song.  I didn't know who Justin Honard is, but evidently his alter ego is a drag queen named Alaska Thunderfuck.  This song rocks and will probably get him a lot of attention outside the drag world.

I saw where Twitter Paul Gosar's anime video where he kills AOC.  What is wrong with these people.  I understand Boebert and MTG were also depicted.  What is wrong with these people.  Remember how they flipped out when Kathy Griffin tastelessly held up the supposed severed head of Loser #45?  How the MAGA's recoiled and then struck out with anger?  Well, this is just as bad as Kathy's pic.  Many Republicans are staying mum on this issue. To do otherwise, would piss off their lord and master, the Spawn of Satan, Donald Trump.

 

Coffee and a Klondike Bar

 Late post today because it's my birthday.  That's right.  I've aged a year.  Am I like fine wine?  Hell if I know.  I do know I'm older, and if the adage is right, older and wiser, I must be pretty wise.  Oh, and the late post doesn't mean I slept late.  That did not happen.  At the earlier hour of 0715 a phlebotomist was extracting some of my DNA rich blood for testing purposes.  No one told me whether I should eat or fast, so all I had for breakfast was iced water.  Until I got home.  Then I started my day with Coffee and a Klondike Bar.  Can we not talk about nutrition?

My sister called and had Alexa sing Happy Birthday to me.  The dogs could hear her over the phone and were not pleased by her electronic voice.  Tomorrow I'm being taken out for breakfast, so I'm going to stretch this celebration out as long as I can.

While waiting for the guy with the syringe this morning, I was checking out the NYT.  Covid deaths among red voters are higher than blue voters.  Also, men are taking a bigger hit than women, which means that little bug is sexist.  While the number of deaths appears to be on a slow decline, no one knows what's going to happen next.  Fall is approaching.  Vaccines work better than natural immunity at preventing infection, so the laugh might be on those who think they've safe just because they have already had Covid.

And finally, there is evidently a growing fear among the GOP that Loser #45 is going to run for president in 2024.  They see that possibility as screwing them over in the mid-terms next year.  I've said this before and I'll say it again, he's not here to give them what they want.  He is here to destroy them.

Two Dogs on a Sunny Saturday

 I hope everybody is having a good Sunday Morning!  We all got an extra hour's sleep, or at least some of us did.  Neither of the dogs got up for a midnight pee break.  Let me tell you, that's nice.

Yesterday business was steady at the flooring desk up until around 2(PM), and then things began to slow down... until just about the time I was ready to leave.  I don't stay, in case any of you are wondering.  I exit the premises precisely on my scheduled departure time.  No hanging around for me.  

Tomorrow I have to go for bloodwork.  Can you see the excitement in my words?  This is because my sugar is borderline.  Honestly, I'm borderline glaucoma, borderline cholesterol, border high blood pressure.  You would think that at some point in time my doctor would realize that being borderline is normal for me.  My temp is normally 96.7 (F).  Normal body temp is considered 98.6 (F), so when I hit 98.6 (F) I'm running a low grade fever... just letting you know.

Yesterday I snapped this pic of the dogs.  I call it Two Dogs on a Sunny Saturday.  Don't you like the way Biggie is giving me his 'hell, not another picture,' look?

You'd think Democrats would be satisfied after Friday's infrastructure note, and most are, but there are those voices clamoring on how we as a party are not united.  To those people I say, no, we are not like Republicans, we don't march in lockstep, our opinions count.  This doesn't mean we should sit back and accept the silent Sinema, or the Maserati driving Manchin.  They are outliers who have too much power and seem to wield it by whim.  Don't worry, the voters of their states will deal with them.

The 5% of Simpflation

Yesterday was one of relaxation... for the most part.  Alexa played Vivaldi for me while I did a little cleaning, put the dishes in the dishwasher, and finished several loads of laundry.  At one point, Lily jumped off the sofa and gave herself a booboo paw.  I heard a little yelp, and then she came limping up to me to sit, holding her left front paw off the floor.  Booboo paws seem to happen here on a regular basis, with both dogs.  I did what I always do, petted her head, told her how terrible the booboo paw was and 45 minutes later (if that) everything was forgotten.  

I saw this interesting piece in The Guardian regarding skimpflation.  This happens when the price stays the same, or may even go up, for a product or service while the quality declines.  You see, one of the golden rules of economics is that companies need to increase revenue by 5% every year.  If there's not enough product for sale and they might not hit that 5%, they will reduce the quality of that product without reducing the customer's price since lower production costs will help them hit that 5%.  Thanks to the pandemic, payroll costs have gone up which is another hit on that 5%.  Again, they will do whatever needs to be done to hit that 5%.  However, these corporations are growing concerned because consumers are angry.  At some point, someone is going to have to take the hit.  We, the ones who are spending the bucks have to take control.  

One of my favorite environmental bands of the 80's was Midnight Oil.  They disbanded for a time while one of them went into Australian politics.  Well, they're back and I'm loving this new song.

And the House passed this infrastructure bill... and as might be expected, Republicans are calling this communism.  Dumb asses. They hate it. They will shriek about it being a waste of their tax dollars.  The truth is their greed keeps them from caring about America.  They are the party of 'me:' my money, my taxes, my guns, my rules, and my regulations.  Screw everybody else.

 

The truth about Heels

 Friday and this is a day off from work.  I stayed up playing Mass Effect 2, clearing out some of the side quests.  They're rather mindless.  There's nothing wrong with spending short periods of time in a vegetative state.  Since this is a 2nd playthrough, there's a lot less of a challenge.  Sometimes this is a good thing.

This song been a recent addition to my playlist.  Every time I hear it I think:  why couldn't Milky Chance put this out while I was writing The Body in the Well?  It's called Colorado.  I think they maybe could have thrown a couple of snakes in the video to make it interesting.

Something I've discovered about my back the shoes I wear have an effect.  I've been wearing a pair of old running shoes that are flat soled, no heel, and that helps my alignment. Shoes that have a slightly raised heel create a wobble when I walk which puts stress on my vertebrae.  Wouldn't it bite big time if this period of aggravation were the result of my buying a flashy pair of running shoes that had a 3/4 inch heel?

I see where Chicarelli (sp), the New Jersey governor wannabe, has torn a page from Loser #45's playbook.  He hasn't started shrieking about voter fraud, but you know those words are on the tip of his tongue.  There are only 2 ways to make this go away.  Beat the Republican candidate by overwhelming numbers, as in the California recall, or take a baseball bat to every single one of their legal challenges.  That's seems to be what's happening to Trump in his failing attempt to keep his January documents under lock and key.  Damn, this guy just can't stop losing.  I mean, Youngkin never mentioned him publicly while campaigning, that's practically a snub from Hell.  In a way, I guess, you could say he spiked that heel.

This isn't that complicated

 When I got up this morning (for the 2nd time) the temps outside were a crisp 30 (F), and they're supposed to drop below freezing for the next few days.  That's fine with me.  I was also up at 0300 because Biggie had to go potty outside.  Just like an old man, he gets up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom and grab a midnight snack.  Of course, Lily joins him; she likes her biscuits, too.

My Thanksgiving schedule was posted yesterday - 4 days off in a row, only 19 hours.  It took me a few seconds to realize those hours didn't include holiday pay.  I'm not working Black Friday.  Though, surprising, I'm considering going in from 1100 to 1600.  Of course, I'm also considering I might not.  One of the nice things about being part-time is that I can volunteer to work hours if the need them.  This is not that complicated.  I tend to do what I want.

And this morning, breakfast is an egg over easy (with fresh thyme) and a slice of homemade Italian bread.  A very uncomplicated meal.

I find it amusing that so many are trying to read the tea leaves after Tuesday's election.  Republicans are elated and Democrats are flustered.  Honestly, when I heard McAuliffe was running for governor of Virginia I was surprised - he's old school.  As such he made mistakes, believing he could make this race about Trump one of his biggest.  Democrats need to look at the changing dynamics in the country.  The census of 2020 showed for the first time that white people are declining in numbers.  For many Americans, this was a wake-up call. These voters see Critical Race Theory, even though they don't know what it is, as a major threat.  When Youngkin brought up Toni Morrison's book, Democrats had nothing to counter.  He already had the white Republicans, but suddenly white Independent voters grew alarmed.  The last census set the stage for a future they see filled with serious complications..  They believe Youngkin, and the Republican Party, are a way for them to hold onto the status quo.  That's not going to happen.

The Time to Change

 Yesterday afternoon was sunny, the temps were warm.  A loaf of bread baked as I began working on the aquarium: a change is on the way.  And then the temps outside began to drop.  As the sun rose, the temps were a cool 31 (F), cold enough to start putting the roses into hibernation.  The foliage for the dahlias will be gone soon.  This is the time of change.

I went to see "No Time to Die" last evening, the latest Bond flick.  This is not your average 007 thriller.  The color palette reminded me of a film from the late 50's to early 60's, filled with deep colors and shadows.  Daniel Craig played the oldest Bond ever, easily a man in his late 40's, a spy brought out of retirement.  There is a lot of dialogue.  And don't try thinking about the Nano byte threat which defies logic.  Rami Malik's villain seemed too wispy at times.  This is my way of saying there are some problems.  Nothing to keep me from not liking the movie, but things my brain needs to just pass by rather than think about.  

Oh, and there was an election yesterday, for those who weren't paying attention.  The Republicans did well, Democrats poorly.  This doesn't mean that Democrats didn't go out and vote, they did, especially in Virginia, however more Republicans and Independents voted for Youngkin.  Some want to blame Biden, yet the Democrats inability to show a united front hurts, paraphrasing Dana Milbank.  Sinema and Manchin's refusal to compromise demonstrated an ongoing problem:  Democrats can work together.  They need to take "my" out of their vocabulary and replace it with "we."  Americans don't want a maybe, they want a yes, and several Democratic members of Congress simply don't understand that.  Republicans defined Critical Race Theory as all white people are to blame for racism and scared the shit out of white voters in Virginia.  Democrats need to come up with a way to attack this lie, otherwise they will loose for the next 3 - 4 elections cycles.  This is the time to change... not wait.

In a Stew

Well, it looks as though we have another drizzly wizzly day outside.  Yesterday the sun was nice enough to shine down in the afternoon, but only for a few hours before the clouds began rolling in.  Tonight, temps are supposed to drop below freezing.  This is how autumn happens.  What winter will be like is anybody's guess.

Yesterday was rather uneventful.  Chore that had been planned were accomplished.  I wrote.  I played a video game.  Right now I'm playing through the Mass Effect trilogy.  The first time I played through it I thought it was great.  Now, well, I see problems.  Bioware, attempting to go bigger and better, kills off the main character in the beginning and then has him resurrected through science.  You get new companions and new game mechanics.  Meh.

I cooked the smoky leek and lentil stew yesterday.  The recipe ends up with much more than I was expecting, so I'll be having stew today.  I'm going to add a garnish of shredded swiss cheese for the warm-up since I'm not really wild about parsley.  Here's what mine looked liked.

Okay, so yesterday I saw in JMG that Frankie Graham posted more of his nonsense on his Facebook page (no link) on how Climate Change is pretty much the wrath of God killing people who reject his (notice the lower case) religion.  Evidently the fact that a number of these people who have already died by fire, and flood, and heat, and cold, and have been Christians is something Frankie has chosen to overlook.  Truthfully speaking, there's a lot of horseshit in Frankie's barn that he needs to clean it out.  That'll never happen since he's more interested in trying to prove he's a Cracker Jack prophet... something he will never, ever be.  This man knows the corrupting taste of power, and likes it.

Culture Destroyers

Blogger seems to be moving very slowly this morning, so I'm wondering if I'm sufferings through some flawed update.

Holy Crap! it's Monday morning and I woke up to a freeze warning for early Wednesday warning.  You all know what that means, don't you?  Time to set the mousetraps.  We've already had some cool evenings, so I'm sure some have already started moving into their warm and comfy, and very dangerous winter lodgings.

The cooler air is also going to see a return of my oatmeal breakfasts, which might cause me to slow down my breadmaking a bit.

Yesterday was spent lollygagging around... so to speak, with a chore thrown in every now and then just to say I hadn't wasted the day entirely.

The pot rack is now installed in the kitchen and a new LED light bar is attached.  My kitchen is now very bright.  Next up will the the chore of tiling the wall beneath.  Tiling is not that difficult if you use mosaics, I wouldn't want to tile with 4 x 4's as I'm positive everyone entering my kitchen would see the angle of the slant.  For some reason, keeping things in a straight line is difficult for me.

A smoky leek and potato stew is planned for today.  We shall see if it turns out looking like this.

Here's an interesting bit from the Washington Post.  Indigenous tribes in Brazil are fighting back against an onslaught of Evangelical Missionaries.  Good for them, since one of the largest monotheistic religion's main goal is not to convert, as they claim, but rather to dictate and control.  This is especially true of the Evangelical branch which has become politicalized and polarizing in this country.  These indigenous people have had enough.  They are sending these culture destroyers packing.  Good for them.