Howie's got a new toy!

 Well, we got a warm day in store for us here n Central PA.  Our high this afternoon is predicted to cross that 80 (F) border.  Over the next few days, temps are expected to climb into the 90s (F).  That will mean good business on window A/C units.  I have a small one I put in my workout room since there is no working vent in that room (old, old house), so it may be installed tomorrow.

Yesterday was sort of a meh day.  I did chores, but only the essential ones, like loading the dishwasher.  Of course, there are those who might not classify that as an essential chore, letting the dishes pile up in the sink.  I had a friend named Jack who did that, waiting until all of his dishes were dirty before cleaning them.  That was until one evening, while several of us were gathered around the kitchen table chatting, a mouse ran out from the pile of dishes and dashed across his kitchen counter.  I do believe he was a bit mortified.  

Otherwise yesterday was quiet.  I did do 2 of my Norwegian lessons last evening.  I should put more time into it.

Oh, and Howie got a brand new toy yesterday.  It's a 2 foot long fuzzy ferret with squeakers at both ends.  He loves it so much he took it to bed last night.

And not only was Orangie's business trip to China a failure, something being noted by so very many news outlets, he's doubling down on his comment of not caring about American citizen's finances.  He's now saying it was a "perfect statement."  Because in his mind he never makes a mistake, he will never, ever admit his comment was terrible.  The CEO is always right.  I would not be surprised if the administration, at some point, doesn't begin blaming the media, saying that they misquoted him, even though it's on video.  

We will be a nation in decline as long as Republicans and conservatives are running the country.  They have proved time and time again that they simply do not know how to govern.  The policies that satisfy a few will affect a majority in so horribly on so many different levels.  And, proving that they have no souls, Republicans and conservatives could care less.

Playing with Fire

 Can you believe Friday has arrived?  The end of the week.  Here in Central PA our outside temp is 71 (F).  That's warm.  Humidity is on the rise.  Normally this would be a bother, but with the humidity comes the rain.  There is abundant rain in our forecast for both tomorrow and Sunday, and both here in Central PA and down in Washington DC.

Yesterday was really productive.  My laser printer is working.  I did some rearranging of furniture in the writing room.  The aquarium in the living room was cleaned.  Lots of words were written.  I also got a decent workout done.  Overall, I will admit to being rather pleased.

I'm halfway through Expedition 33.  What at first seemed to be a standard story in which a villain needs to be eliminated has turned into the tragic story of the Descendre family and their inability to deal with grief.  Verso, the only son, was killed in a war and his mother (the Paintress) keeps him alive in a canvas she painted.  His father, Renoir, wants to destroy the canvas and bring his mother back into the real world to deal with her grief.  Last night I started Act III in which Verso and his sister who was horribly scared in the war, try and stop their father from destroying the canvas.  It's complicated.

I'm having router issues.  It's the original router I got when I had FIOS installed which was probably about 10 years ago.  Last week I had a buffering problem with Netflix.  At least once a week I will turn on the TV and have to wait for the network connection.  The same thing happens to my Xbox Series X.  Last evening I had to download an update to Expedition 33 and at one point the download speed was 453 kbs.  Ouch.  So, I attempted to contact Verizon.  That was a waste of time, though I can order a newer model for $99.99, which I didn't do.  I have T-Mobile on my phone and I have never had a problem.  There's a T-Mobile tower less than 3/4 mile away, and I can get their Internet for less than what I'm paying Verizon.  So, this morning I'm contacting T-Mobile.

So, Israel attacked Iran... that should have been expected.  Little Marco said the US was not involved, well, we now know he lies... a lot.  Some sources are saying that the attack was coordinated with the US.  Orangie's blow bro Vlad is deep allies with Iran.  I think we should prepare for this to escalate.

There was an interesting article in The Guardian this morning on how America's Main Stream Media is ignoring the rising anti-Trump sentiment.  I believe that the MSM is truly concerned that the Administration will cut them off like the did the Associated Press, so they will continue to broadcast Orangie's lies and deceit.  They are not even trying to balance things out.  Their big problem is that these protests are growing in size, something the administration truly hates.  As The Guardian put it, soon MSM will no longer be able to ignore the protests.  This is why the administration is doubling down on their ICE attacks.  It's why they are forcing a confrontation in Los Angeles.  This is why cos-play Barbie (Noem the puppy killer) said troops would remain in Los Angeles until the evil mayor was gone.  This administration is playing with fire and, in the end, will end up torching itself.  When that happens, Noem and her hair extensions will be leaving on a jet plane to Russia, where she'll soon find herself working on a potato farm.

Worthless

 Friday has arrived!  This is one of my regularly scheduled days off.  The temps are supposed to climb up into the mid 40s (F), which will be nice.  Rain is on the way, though, and so I'm anticipating showers and occasional steady rains for the next three days.  It's not that rain is preferable to snow, neither really matters to me.  Mostly, I dislike the constant cloud cover.  I do like the sunshine.

I did work yesterday and it was very slow... except for those coming in and buying the super reduced Christmas decorations we still had available.  There are decent amount of tree decorations and lights, everything else is too ugly for people to want.  As far as sales go, it's going to be a dry few week.  This is normally not the season for flooring installations.  I only have one open quote and that customer is not going to buy.  She wanted us to price match our competition.  Their quote was $3000, ours was $3800.  For us to price match, she'd need to bring in a printed copy of their quote showing that their carpet was equivalent or better than the one she chose from us.  She's not going to do that.  She's selling her house and wanted the carpet installed before she listed it on the market; the home was listed last week.

When I did get home from work my neighbors were very silent.  They were silent all evening.  The sound of a church mouse would have sounded like a roar.  This is a good thing.  If I haven't mentioned it before, she seems to be the one who needs the volume.  She's also a 51 year-old trying to be 19, however, I suspect her maturity level is around 14.

Of course, yesterday, open warfare between MAGA cultists and pseudo-president Musk erupted.  You see, Elonia had the affrontery to say that he preferred hiring immigrant workers to Americans because Americans were either poorly trained or untrainable.  This is what started the fight.

There were other Tweets stating that Americans were unmotivated and lazy because of poor parenting.  As expected, the Cultist's anger exploded, and as a result many, including that crackpot Laura Loomer, have been banned from Zitter.  Do you think Donnie the Orange Anus is really going to care what happens to his cultists?  Not on your life.  There are those saying that this blow-up signals the divorce between he and Elonia.  I doubt that.  Orangey wants to be buddy, buddy close to the richest asshole on the planet.  Orangey also likes the fact that all these massive tech companies have been greasing his palm with $1million donations.  The reality is he's going to be buckeroos what they want.  Those cultists, the ones who voted for him?  They no longer have any worth.

Oddly Impressive

 Here it is, Friday, the temps are below freezing and forecasters are calling for snow.  Not a lot.  Maybe an inch?  I would like maybe three or four inches so he could have fun running around and discover snow fun, though I doubt that will happen.  After this weekend, long range forecasts are calling for temps to warm up, and rain is in the forecast, not snow.

And I did work yesterday.  Jon, the PT who's been giving me advice for the PT aspects of Max's character in the books is back from his unpaid internship.  I was surprised that he had to pay for 4 months of training.  You'd think he'd at least get a stipend, but nope, his diagnosis and labor was free.  I think that's sucks.  He's looking forward to meeting Howie.  

I did sell some blinds to one of my customers and I sold a flooring measure.  My supervisors stopped by and told me that the store was really hurting on leads and signing people up for credit cards.  As just about everyone in the known universe knows, if a customer brings up the credit card application, I will sign them up, otherwise I'm silent.  As for getting a lead on an installation?  This is not the season for leads.  No one wants to deal with construction in the winter.  Besides, I do believe many people are growing leery about making large ticket purchases with the Elonia Musk, and his puppet, the Orange Anus, taking control of the country in 3 weeks.

And, speaking of Elonia and Orangey, I think this is appropriate.

Of course, the incompetent Republican party is going to shut down the government 5 days before Christmas because Elonia Musk didn't like the budget.  You have to remember, Elonia was born wealthy, and raised wealthy, and as such has no concept of a reality other than that of a spoiled twelve-year-old child who doesn't need to stamp his foot to get what he wants.  No Democrats voted for Plan B, and now Plan C is in the work.  Part of the problem is that Republicans hold the most miniscule of majorities in the house and so believe they can exclude Democrats budget creation process.  Another big problem is that Elonia and his broken marionette of man Orangey, want the Debt Ceiling gone in order for them to give themselves another big tax break. And, as Chip Roy, a Right Wing Extremist, railed against it yesterday shouting loudly that doing so was going to add another $5 trillion to the deficit in 2 years.  

And there was a bit of humor yesterday.  Just about everybody, except Republicans, new this new administration was going to be a shit show, however, as Rachel Vindman put it, "to have it start so early is oddly impressive."

Shitzinpantz

 Well a good Friday morning to all of you out there in the world.  It's a nice day here in Central PA.  The outside temp is in the low 60s (F), though if the forecast is correct clouds will come rolling in later this afternoon.  That's okay.  We might warm up another 15 degrees if the weather forecasters are correct, that is not always the case.  Yesterday, on my ride home from the store, the temp was 92 (F) which should have broke a record, though that might have been the official temp.  Officially, temps in the air around my car are rarely taken into consideration.

My 2nd load of laundry is already in the washer.  I've taken to dry certain things, like T-shirts, and towels, and... well, just about everything except pants, outside on the drying rack, at least on warm days.  I'll use less electricity.  The dryer is nice for pants, that way there no need to iron out the wrinkles.  Iron?  Does anybody still iron anything?

I'll also be going to my neighborhood Giant supermarket later this morning.  They've gotten cheap with their bonus points, which is irritating.  You earn bonus points by spending $$$.  They would also run lots of specials where you could earn more points by buying, oh, say $35 in meat.  Beginning last week, those deals disappeared.  You can still earn bonus points, but the good deals are gone.  Now you can earn 30 points by buying 4 pounds of bananas.  That's a lot of bananas.

I thought this was cute.

I was going to post a picture of Von Shitzinpantz, but thought them all to be too crass, I do have my limitations.  For those who don't know, that was Michael Cohen's nickname for his boss, the Orange Anus himself, Donald Trump.  That came out yesterday at his election interference trial.  Now, I don't know about you, but it has been my experience that nicknames are usually based on some sort of fact, act, or occurrence, and while talking about bodily functions is the fodder of four year-old humor, it wouldn't surprise me in the least that Donald Trump shits in his pants... regularly, and is, no doubt, the reason he wears Depends.  Let's be honest here, we all know that Donald Trump is now, and has always been, full of shit.

Trump: The Footnote in History

 It's Friday.  The last of my 4 days off in a row, and the weather is going to be putzy. The clouds are not going to be clearing and this afternoon spotty showers are in the forecast.  Temps in the mid 60s (F).  This is not the recipe for joy.

Yesterday was a day of accomplishments: another walk in Adams - Ricci, a ride on the bike, and a dumbbell / band session.  Some writing was done.  And, according to Garmin, I had an excellent night's sleep, over 7 hours.  If it weren't cloudy outside, I be feeling quite refreshed.

About a month ago I tried baking some cream cheesy, peachy thing in my oven, my own recipe, and the spring form pan leaked.  It was one of those things I should have cleaned up but put off because I use the air fryer more than the oven.  Well, last evening, part of my dinner was roasted asparagus, so I fired up the oven and smoke came billowing up.  Burnt sugar smoke.  Now my house smells like burnt sugar, not the most attractive scent around.  This morning, when I go to my neighborhood Giant supermarket, I'll be picking up some over cleaner, and maybe a couple of dozen scented candles.

Here's another picture I took while walking through Adams - Ricci on a sunny day.

And, of course, there are only 7 more alternative jurors to go in Trump's campaign interference trial... or is it 6?  Either way, jury selection should be completed by the end of today.  I find it interesting that those people who've been eliminated have said, after seeing him sitting in the courtroom, is that he looks like an old, orange man.  He might look more sympathetic to the jury if he got rid of the make-up and took the blond dye out of his hair.  Juries do tend to empathize with seniors.  However, that would present a terrible problem for him.  His cult wouldn't recognize him.  They'd wonder just who is this stranger?

I find it interesting that more and more news services are showing him approaching and leaving the courtroom without any sound.  I've seen 3 so far, and the on-air reporter always mentions that we've heard it all before, and that he isn't saying anything new.  Old news.  Stale news.  Been there, done that, and it's time to move on.  That's one of Trump's many problems.  Like the GOP he now runs, he is unable to stop kicking that dead horse.  Except for his cult, who have turned his whines into a mantra, America is ready to move on.  This trial will guarantee he is only a footnote in history.

Santos, not your run of the mill Pathological Liar

 Happy Friday morning!  The sunrise was on fire, which means sailors need to take warning.  According to Accuweather, we have a 25% chance of rain today.  After they pass through temps are going to drop a bit, but not a lot, back down into the 50s (F) for daytime highs.  And yes, we are just a little over a month away from winter.

I worked yesterday and let me tell you, retail was slow.  I did manage to get a bit sale, but are few and far between.  How bad are they?  On the schedule that was just written, which covers the week past Thanksgiving, I'm only working 2 days, 16 hours.  Payroll is always the expense that gets cut first because it's the biggest liability a company faces, and in retail, that's the part-timers.  Unlike me, many part-timers, especially seniors, are working to supplement their income, so losing hours is going to hurt them.  This is why Trickle Down Economics fails, because those corporations that received Tax Cuts are still getting them, however American Capitalism dictates that they also need to have 5% growth and they have no problem cutting hours to achieve that goal.

So, in spite of the fact that they're cutting hours, the great orange retailer did see fit to give me a cap for Veteran's Day.  This is why I don't wear hats.

And, of course, hilarity upon hilarity ensued yesterday when the Ethics Committee released their report on George (I can spend you campaign contributions any way I want) Santos.  I'm certain most of us thought he was just your ordinary, run of the mill pathological liar.  Ouch.  Wait, you ask, is he really a pathological liar?  Oh, my yes, I'd put him in the same league as Trump, capable of lying about everything without understanding that saying it doesn't make it true.  The difference between the two?  Trump lies in order to prove to himself that he's a god, Santos lies in order to watch the gay porn on Only Fans.  Did anyone hear me laughing when I read that little gem?  And how about the Botox injections?  I wonder how Elise Stefanik feels knowing that the world now knows the man whose candidacy she endorsed was spending his campaign dollars on floppy lips and sex workers, not necessarily in that order.

Enrichment

 Friday has arrived and the forecast is for cloudy skies with the possibility of showers.  Temps should climb into the low 50s (F), which isn't bad if you're trying to save money on your heating bill.  I'm on the UGI budget plan and I'm heading into December with a credit on my account because the days have been so warm.  No heavy heating so far this year.

Yesterday Lily and I finished off the cake and ice cream.  That little old lady loves ice cream, French Vanilla.  Her Chewy food order will be delivered today.  Besides the canned food she loves, her Cosequin is also in the order; a supplement that helps with her joints.  She's been getting 2 every day for years.  I don't know if it helps or not, but she looks forward to those 2 faux chocolate treats every morning.

Supposedly my "ticket" has been escalated in regards to Starfield.  At this point, I don't know what they can do to help.  With only 5 save slots, and with no way off the ship, I'm pretty much screwed.  Losing 28 Levels and over 70+ hours of gameplay because one of my files got corrupted sucks.  Normally using Quicksave is a way to help you get through difficult situations, however for me it seems to have turned out to be a curse.

And here it is, November 10, and I still have roses here in Central PA.

Yesterday Joe Manchin notified the world that he was not going to run for re-election.  For those who don't know, Manchin is a 76 year old, faux Democrat from West Virginia.  Rumors are that he wants to run against Biden for the Democrat nomination.  He claims to be a Centrist, though votes Conservative most of the time, and... did I mention that he's 76 years old.  Crimeny!  He evidently doesn't pay attention to current complaints about old, and older candidates.  Some think he's going to run to ensure Trump wins the election and Republicans take control of the government again.  That would suit Manchin because he's wealthy and we all know that greed is at the heart of all Conservative politics.  Their agenda is always geared around enriching themselves.  

The Seriously Red Sky

 Well, it's Friday, the end of the work for those who don't work in retail, or law enforcement, or unless you're a bartender, or a waitress, or a sous chef.  At this point in time, I would not be surprised if a decent majority of Americans work at least one day of the weekend.  So much so, I do believe they should rewrite that old song, you know the song I'm talking about:

Everybody's working on the weekend

Everybody needs to pay the bills

I talked to HR yesterday.  I like to work 20 hours a week and I was scheduled for 16 hours, two weeks in a row.  We added 4 hours to each week.  I'll be covering evening meals.  That's fine.  I'm a morning person.  Everything around the house gets done before noon, so I don't mind heading into the store at 3 PM for a few hours.

There's a new trailer out for Picard, season 3.  I honestly don't know if I'll watch it.  Season 2 was horrifically terribly.  The show took all of the lore that the franchise has spent decades building upon and crapped all over it.  Season 3 looks to be nothing more than a Star Trek, The Next Generation redux.  Damn!

We had a seriously red sky this morning.  Bad weather must be coming.

The view from my computer chair

And what about Andy Tate?  I had no idea who he was until Twitter erupted with Greta Thunberg clapped him back over some sort of crack he'd made about his cars and pollution.  Now he and his brother Tristian are sitting in a Romanian prison charged with sex trafficking.  Andy had been one of Tucker Carlson's special guests who complained about being persecuted because Tucker loves his misogynist underdogs. 

George Santos is set to be sworn in on Tuesday proving without a doubt Republicans have no integrity.  I find it fascinating that here lately a day doesn't pass without one of them saying the quiet part out loud as they either try and defend him, or simply remain silent.  I look out my window and see a fiery dawn, for them, the seriously red skies are soon going to be eternal.

That self-serving Bitch

 We've got a sunny Friday outside.  Again, the temps are forecast to rise into the low 50s (F), which is not bad for this time of the year.  Predictions are that we're supposed to stay this warm until the middle of next week, then temps just might drop.  That's okay.

I talked to the Vet last night about Biggie.  I nixed the idea of doing an ultra-sound on his belly.  There is only a 15% chance this little tumor he has is located on his adrenal glands.  Instead, I'm opting for the low-dose dexamethasone test, which has good results at locating the location.  Two days after the bloodwork is completed, he should be on meds.  

Cori, my cover artist, informed me yesterday that the cover for The Body Under Ice should be ready next week.  I'm finishing up the last chapter.  Then there will be a revision; I have notes on some changes that need to be done before it goes through the editor.  As in the past, I'll be looking for 2 blog readers who want to provide input before the final draft gets published.  As payment, these readers get an autographed paperback copy. They are on a schedule though, meaning it's not something you can take your time to leisurely read through.  Interested people should contact me through the email address I have listed in my profile.

And now, about this self-serving Bitch.

She changed her party designation to Independent.  Honestly, when I saw that this morning I wasn't surprised in the least bit, however, I did blurt out two words: that Bitch.  Comments I've seen in the Washington Post, and the NYT have almost all focused on the fact that she's always been self-serving, prioritizing her own need for attention over everything else.  She doesn't give press conferences, doesn't openly seek the limelight, but everyone is always talking about her.  The minute Warnock won, she became irrelevant.  She could be ignored.  No one was ever going to be wondering what Sinema was going to do, or if she was going to vote with her party, never again.  She would be just another Democrat.  So, what does this self-serving Bitch do?  She changes party.  Sorry, but congressman who change parties halfway through their terms are always asswipes.  By getting elected, Sinema made a commitment to the people of Arizona who gave her their votes that she was going to represent them.  Now, she's done something worse than simply ignoring those voters, she has dismissed their importance with a simple 'fuck you.'  And it puts her in the spotlight.  Paraphrasing Steven Beschloss, she has put herself on a whole new level of attention whore.  Some are saying she changed to Independent in an attempt to save her political career.  What career?

October Surprise

 So, what's on the agenda for today?  The always excitable chore sure to drive interest, cleaning.  It's part of my Friday itinerary.  Every day of the week has it's own scheduled chores.  Not only does it add regularity to my life, it also helps me to tell one day from the next.  Working part-time also helps to keep me on track.

Update on Biggie:  his blood work came back not so good, one of the levels they look is was big time elevated.  Dogs have problems with Nsaids, even those designed for doggies, so he off his carprofen, probably forever.  The Vet gave me 2 choices: do full blood work analysis, take him in and let the do an ultrasound on his abdomen to make sure there's nothing wrong with his liver, and put him on specific meds to bring down those levels, or take him off of his carprofen.  One suggestion costs $$$, the other eliminates a $60 prescription med fee every month.  He's staying on the gabapentin, that doesn't effect his liver.  He's going back after Thanksgiving for another blood draw to see if his levels have dropped.

I watched the first 2 episodes of The Peripheral last evening.  The cast is attractive.  The story is... oh, well son of a bitch, it has to do with sending your consciousness back and forth through time.  It's not time travel, as one character explains, that doesn't work.  But you can send your.....(wait for it) consciousness into a peripheral (human shell).  Oh, and there are problems.  Leave your logic and common sense at the door.  Did I mention, the cast is attractive?

Less than 2 weeks until the midterms.  This is about the time people expect the October surprise.  What will it be?  I just saw that Nancy Pelosi's husband was violently assaulted.  With all of the rabid Republican rhetoric, violence should be expected; they have neither morals nor control.  Will that send Democrats to the polls?   Was Kari Lake responsible for the break-in at Katie Hobbs campaign headquarters?  That would not surprise me.  Kari Lake is a Stepford politician.  That might swing votes away from her in Arizona.  Elon is now Chief Twit.  For those without a Miriam-Webster dictionary, a Twit is another name for a Fool.  That's right, Elon is now a Chief Fool.  Will he let the Orange Anus back on Twitter, and if he does, could that help the Republicans?  Two answers:  Possibly and No.  While Trump's base would be delirious upon his return to that social media platform, their numbers are pretty much set, he's not going to build on that hateful base.

Will there even be an October surprise?  Well, I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Suckers

While I know a number of you out there are saying "finally, Friday," I also know there are probably just as many, possibly more, for whom Friday is just another day of the week.  For me, every other Friday is payday, but not this Friday.  Today I will be doing the same chores I do every Friday, with a few added.  My lawn needs to be mown today.  I'll also be rolling up my 100 foot hose and putting it away for the year.  For those who don't know, my property is 125 feet long, so 100 feet does everything I need it to do.

I'm going to start patching the hole today.

I watched the first 2 episodes of Interview with a Vampire last evening.  That sucker pops!  I read the book a long time ago and liked it.  I saw the Tom Cruise version when it came out.  Meh.  Perhaps if Tom Cruise hadn't been in it I might have appreciated it more.  When I was growing up, vampire movies were always gendered, where women were always the prey.  I never could understand that.  Blood has no gender.  This is why when you get a transfusion you don't get to choose between male or female.  In the serialized version on AMC blood is blood, it doesn't make a difference whose neck you're sucking it from.  

I've always liked Peter Gabriel.  Many don't know that a long time ago he was the front man for a little known band named Genesis.  He went solo and the band replaced him with Phil Collins.  On his own, Gabriel has been more than a little innovative.  I'm sure some of you will remember his delightful little ditty "Shock the Monkey," or if that doesn't ring a bell, he had another little hit with "Sledgehammer."  One of my favorite songs was Solsbury Hill.  Written in 1977,  this video, released 40 years later, is an amalgamation of clips from live performances and is rather eye popping.  

 And finally, back to Herschel.  Everyday there is a new word salad.  Christian Walker, whom Conservatives thought they could use to attack liberals, is slicing and dicing his father daily.  Walker's defense is... Jesus.  Son of a bitch!  When Newtie Gingrich begins talking about Hershel's love of Jesus being more important than anything, you have a really big problem.  Selfish, self-centered, with a football stadium sized ego, his neurotransmitters have been misfiring for years.   Herschel's actions have never been any where close to being Christian.  Antiabortion conservatives look bad.  They desperately want to turn Georgia red.  Well, that ain't happening.

 

Shaken Up

 So, the first thing I did this month was start a list of things needing to be done, including chores not on my normal Friday routine.  Every now and then we need to shake things up.  For those who don't know, things do need to be shaken up, given a rattle and a roll, like sharply snapping fingers rousing us from our too comfortable drowsiness. 

Yesterday for was, as far as my supervisors are concerned, rather successful. 2 measures, though one was done using the old system which is being treated more and more like a derelict.  Nothing worth salvaging there, though for old dogs, you know...  Updates are coming fast and none of them are being explained.  Reliable icons are soon to be as obsolete as the carpet carousel every flooring specialist despises.

I watched some of Locke & Key last night.  I'm enjoying it.  Very mysterious.  Murder and mayhem seem to be on the menu.  This is, I believe, it's 3rd and final season.  Doesn't surprise me.  One of the stars is young whose growth and maturity must be creating a serious problem.  Remember the problem Lost in Space had when Will Robinson grew from 4 feet 8 inches, to six feet 2inches?

Of course, Joe Biden gave a speech last evening.  Wow.  I don't normally watch speeches, but last night's I watched.

Even the lighting played a part.  Notice how the Red is surrounded by the Blue, for those looking for political imagery.  I like the clock, especially since this was a speech about time, about both the past and the future of our Democracy.  Symbolically, the red is framing not only Biden's anger, but also ours.  In very precise words he called out Trump and his MAGA cult.  He proved that he has no problem pissing on their beliefs. Everything he said was true.  This speech popped.  

And for those whiny people who always lament "they always talk, and nothing happens," well, maybe it's time you got off your asses and helped instead of simply waiting for things to be given to you.  Democracy is 'for the people,' and 'by the people.'  Don't expect a free ride.

The reaction by MAGA Republicans was... humorously expected outrage.  They want an apology.  How absurd.  You don't apologize to liars, and charlatans, and grifters, you shut them up and shut them down.

Tank, Tanking, Tanked

 As expected, yesterday was soooo sloooow at work.  Not a lot of people are out looking for flooring.  But, just in case some of you are thinking, "ah, that's the economy," I have to remind you that July and August are always slow months for us.  Vacation time.  Customers ask themselves, "why spend $4000 on carpet or vinyl planking, when you can take the family to Disneyworld for a week and have much more fun?"  Believe me, fun always wins out.

I'm only being scheduled for 3 days a week for the next couple of weeks.  That's fine with me.  This partial retirement thing is rather nice.  

Since it's Friday, I'm off.  I have certain chores that get done on Friday. They are part of my routine.  No laundry, though.  Wednesday is my laundry day.  Most of today's chores involve cleaning.  Oh, and going to the supermarket.

The flowers in one of the little, front gardens are coming along nicely. Interestingly enough, the marigolds I planted from scratch are burgeoning, the ones which were already 5 inches tall when I bought them are struggling.

Dahlias are in the background

So, here we are, halfway through July, one hundred and some odd days before the midterms, and a certain political party is starting to scratch their head, seeming caught off guard by what's happening in America.  The common belief was that the party that loses the presidency wins heavily in the mid-terms.  The truth is that was never a sure thing.  As a result, the Republicans thought they were going to drive their conservative tank back and forth across the country, crushing every centrist in sight.  They were going to win which meant they could do whatever they wanted.  And so, the Supreme Court that they packed overturned Roe.  With one fell swoop they told the largest voting bloc in the country that not only were they 2nd class citizens, in truth, they were really nothing more than breeders.

Suddenly it seems as though they've driven that tank straight into a river that is very wide, and very deep.  Not only that, but they have also tied their destiny to a moral degenerate.  A man who attempted to overthrow American Democracy in an attempt to stay in power.  A big thank you to the January 6 committee for constant reminding America of his evil.

There is a horrific school shooting and America clamors for gun control, and they say, "shut up, we have enough votes to override everything you want."

At first there were just rumors that their tank might be tanking.  Those rumors are not only getting louder, but they are also beginning to sound like a constant drumbeat.  They nominated individuals who they felt would further their agenda without asking the American people what they wanted.  They're tank is filling up with water faster than they can bail it out. The lie that started with Reagan is ending with Trump.

Lie and Cheat

 Sometimes my weekend begins on Friday, and sometimes it's just another day off for me.  Today, my weekend has already begun.  I slept in.  I enjoy that.  So do the dogs.  Around 0600 Lily had to go potty outside, but after that we both went back to sleep.  Today might be busy.

While back at work yesterday, I told several people how I had said "shut up, you old bitch," to a fellow associate.  Every response was the same.  They all laughed.  Not one person chastised me.  No one said, "wow, maybe you shouldn't have done that."  This says more about the person I yelled at, rather me, which is a shame.  We should all try and respect everybody's opinion, however that's difficult when they have no respect for any opinion but their own.

My new mouse came yesterday.  In case I hadn't mentioned it, I bought myself a new Razer gaming mouse.  It's nice.

I also bought a copy of Elden Ring.  It's a video game written by George R. R. Martin, the same guy who wrote the Game of Thrones series, which means it's probably all the same violence with all the same sex.  Most of the trailers are 'age restricted' on YouTube, this is the only one that wasn't.

And here in Pennsylvania we are heading into a recount among the Republicans.   If you remember backto the General Election of 2020, recounts were never kind to the Moral Degenerate, Trump.  He always lost votes, never coming close to gaining all the votes he lied about losing.  Yesterday was the 2nd day he advised Dr. Oz to cheat.  No surprise there.  This doesn't say much for those Christian Nationalists believe the Orange Anus was sent by God.  Ouch.  

Let's be honest here.  If the deity I believed to be omnipotent had sent Donald Trump to build the socially conservative America I was praying for, and Donald Trump's advice was to Lie and Cheat in order to achieve that dream, I'd become a little suspicious of that omnipotence.  Holy Shit.  Omnipresent and omnipotent are not really as powerful as they're cracked up to be.  Or.... maybe they are, just not in this universe.

The Conservative Problem

 How's your Friday going?  Mine is drizzly and rainy.  Yepper!  We have a real soaking weekend heading our way with a possible 3.5 inches of rain in the forecast.  In fact, we're under a bit of a flood watch until tomorrow afternoon.  Heavy rain on a Saturday is not good for our garden department.

I had my monthly 'one on one' review yesterday with Specialty management.  As always, they want us to push credit, and, as always, everything they said went in one ear and out the other. In fact, almost everything they say does that.

My Cannondale X6 cyclocross bike sold at the World Cup and Ski bike sale and swap.  If you remember, Dave G. (one of the managers) suggested $300 as an asking price, well, some fine customer paid $350.  I'm happy.  I was never going to ride that bike again, and that sale will cover the $250 deductible I need to pay for my car repair.

There is a planned karaoke section planned for my next book in which something inopportune might... well, occur.  Will good and bad juxtapose each other?  Hhhmmm, I'll never tell.  Anyway, I'm seriously considering this little ditty.  And who might sing it?  Perhaps a character with some serious coordination issues on the dance floor? 

I saw that the Democrats are going to have a vote on codifying the Women's Health Act in order to get Republicans to vote against it.  The leak of the Supreme Court's anti-abortion manifesto (and if you look at Alito's warped logic, it is a manifesto) has put that extreme wing of the Republican Party in a bad place.  How did they get here?  Probably because Trump lost in 2020.  You see, usually the party whose presidential candidate loses picks up seats in the House and the Senate in the next mid-term election.  Conservative logic would have been that this is a good time to overturn Roe v Wade because we're going to take back control in 2022.  Hence the leak, or test balloon as I like to think.  The truth Conservatives will never understand is that their base does not represent a majority.  Trump's little shit show on January 6 cost them a lot of Centrist / Independent voters, a fact they fail to comprehend.  They also believe there is a silent majority of conservatives in America.  They believe this lie because of Reagan's landslide win.  They see and hear Trump's loud, shrieking MAGA base as representing a majority of crazy Americans.

  Wrong.  And their biggest problem is that they believe American voters are both stupid and gullible.  We are not.  And so, they have an extremely bad problem which will continually compound itself in the run-up to the midterm elections.  American voters are going to slap the shit out of them this November, which is a very good thing.  They need to be seriously slapped, and quite often.

Retaliation

 Friday has arrived, as if you didn't know.  Being that it is Friday, I'm not working.  I did tweak my availability yesterday.  Monday and Thursdays will be the only days I can work a full 8-hour shift, while on Saturday and Sunday I can't be scheduled before noon.  This is good, since they're starting up Children's Workshop again.  For those who say, "how wonderful you hold a workshop for kids," remember, this generosity has more to do with merchandising and marketing than providing a 'fun' diy moment for kids.  

I got up early yesterday for my bloodwork, and as a result, went to be early last evening.  So... this morning I got up early because...  And I still got almost 7 hours of good sleep.  What can I say?  I like getting up early.  

Right now, the sun is shining.  Temps are supposed to go up to 70 (F) today and tomorrow they're supposed to climb higher.  Then, as has been the case for several weeks now, they're going to drop back into the 50's (F).  An associate at work was complaining "we're not going to have a spring; we're going to go right into summer."  I didn't point out that this is exactly what spring is, moderating temperatures, some days warm, some days cool.

And, as expected, Florida's Republican legislature handed Disney what they think is going to be some Payback yesterday.  They took away Disney's self-governing status.  As a result, Disney will have to pay taxes.  DeSantis thinks they're going to cave as a result.  He believes they're going to blink and bow down to him.  Disney will probably write-off those taxes when it files its federal taxes, thanks to the tax bill passed by the Republicans in the United States Senate.  Who will pay through the nose?  The constituents who put the Florida Republicans in power. 

For those of you who don't understand, this sort of thing that happens under authoritarian governments led by dictators.  It's the sort of thing that happens in Russia.  Obviously, DeSantis aims to be the American version of Putin.  Next thing you know, he's going to be riding around on a horse with his shirt off. 

Speaking of Putin, what about those French Elections.  So many were upset by Macron and his Covid rules, well, now they can go to the polls and vote for a Russian sympathizer, Marine Le Pen.  It's taken a lot of Russian money to get her this close to the presidency.  Think of her as Trump in a skirt.  Be careful what you wish for.  What you get may be far worse than you dreamed possible. 

Traitors

Well, let's say hello to Friday.  The temps here in Central PA are supposed to top off in the high 50's (F).  Now, ain't that nice.  There is a smudge in the forecast, however.  Snow is predicted for tomorrow, possibly 3 - 5 inches.  Notice, I include the word possibly.  So far this year their predictions for an accumulation have been... off.  Originally the snowfall was to begin tomorrow afternoon, now the stuff is slated to begin falling around 0400.  I'm not holding my breath.

I ordered a doggy heating pad for Biggie.  He had trouble getting up the back steps yesterday.  I know what my heating pads do for my lower back, so I'm thinking napping on something warm and comfy may be beneficial.  

The new window A/C unit was installed in the computer / workout room yesterday, and even got a mini-workout while I did a slow jog on the treadmill.

Yesterday's breakfast with my brother went fine.  We avoided politics completely.

The copy of the PS4 Uncharted I had ordered was sitting on my front porch this morning, so I'm loading it right now.  I will give it whirl later in the day.  From the looks of it, I'd say the game was geared for teenage boys who want to have a lot of masculine fun.

One of the effects of Putin's ruthless invasion into the Ukraine is the continued splintering of the Republican Party.  For years the GOP had been pro-democracy, I mean, they were after all the party of Lincoln.  But the Reagan happened and their philosophy began to distort, they fantasized about running the country all by themselves, where they won every election, like Putin.  And the DOA Trump showed up and rebranded the party.  They became America First, which is a literal translation of "shut up, I'm in charge and we're going to be Democratic my way, and only my way."  You know, the way Putin has been running Russia for 22 years?  Suddenly, some of those old Republican bones began creaking.  Shit.  And some of the realized that dictators are always going to be on the selfish side, that they will always need to violently put down insurrections, making them bloody.  This is not what we represent, some of them said, and the party began splintering again.  The more the party splinters, the better chance for democracy to survive.  Helping it splinter even faster and farther are Tucker Carlson, and Fox News.  No doubt Putin sees them as an asset to his violent invasion.  Hopefully, more Americans are beginning to see them as traitors.

 

Lie, Lie, Lie

 Well, we're off to a really windy Friday.  High gusts have tugged the top off of my garbage can and sent it sailing.  One of the resin chairs I never sit on was upended and sent dancing.  Later this afternoon, after things die down, I will put everything back where it belongs.

The insurance adjuster called yesterday. My damage is covered by my comprehensive insurance, so I'll have a $250 tab to pay.  The estimate is scheduled for March 22... yeah, they are that far behind.  One of my fellow associates sold cars at one point in his career, so I showed him the picture I had taken.  He pointed out that my bumper cover was cracked.  "That'll be a expensive fix," he told me, "there are a lot of sensors in your bumper."  As long everything is covered, I don't care.  Part of my coverage includes a free car rental from Enterprise while my car is in the shop.  They called yesterday and wanted to know when I needed the car, so I told them it won't be until probably sometime in March.

I watched the last episodes of The Book of Boba Fett last evening.  I suspect Disney was hoping the series would be as popular as The Mandalorian it wasn't.  Boba didn't have the cute, little Grogu.  Boba has a rancor... and he rides that sucker... and it did eat people.

And thanks to a judge, the Orange Anus, Ivanka Danka, and the Dumb One need to give depositions in a Civil Lawsuit.  Perhaps if they hadn't lied so much been so blatantly brash, this case would never have had legs.  However, it seems al that that family knows how to do is lie, lie, lie, make brash statements.   As a result, their financial empire is in serious jeopardy, perhaps if the foundation hadn't been laid upon the sands of deceit.  And because this is a Civil Case, rather than the Federal Case the New York Attorney General is working on (at present, I believe, 19 separate lawsuits have been filed against this crime family) taking the 5th is pretty much treated as an admission of guilt and actually can be used against them in the Federal Trial.  Holy Mother of Ouch Shit!  

The Boohoo Babies

 Holy Crap!  It's Friday, and another one of my days off.  This is good.  What isn't good is being scheduled to work mornings.  Anything after 12 noon is fine.  Workouts, jogs, and rides get done in the mornings.  Saying this, my availability will be changed to that mornings can no longer be scheduled.  I say this because on Monday, 2/21, they have me scheduled for 0930.  Changes are in the offing.

They were predicting ice, sleet, and freezing rain for today, however all we have is a slight drizzle.  Right now temps are still in the mid-30's and on the weather map we're going through a large gap in the precipitation; there are large swaths of rain to our east and to our west there is snow with some ice.  This doesn't bother me in the least.

I bought myself a new end table.  Circular, which I think is a better description than round.  It was advertised as round, but balls are round.

So, the winter Olympics have started.  They gave Xi and his bro Putey Baby a chance to commiserate on the loss of their lackey Trump.  You see, if the Orange Anus had been successful in his coup, then the Ukraine invasion wouldn't be turning into such shit show.  Not only that, Xi could satisfy the raging stiffy tenting his pants every time someone mentions Taiwan.  They're a pair of boohoo babies whining about how their plans for world domination seem to be constantly getting thwarted.

What these despots are actually proving is that authoritarian governments can only grow so much before they begin chewing off their own feet.  They will never understand this.  Like authoritarian conservatives in America who so desperately want to chant "shut up, we're in charge," failure is not an option, it is their only reality.