Candor

 My first weekend of the week begins today.  I'm pleased.  The sun is shining.  The temps are predicted to climb into the upper 70's with low humidity, so I'll be spending some time outside.  Thanks to the rain we've had my lawn needs a mowing which will happen either today or tomorrow.

I lost my temper at work yesterday with an associate.  Most of the time I can hold my tongue, but there are instances...  Me and another associate were discussing the million lives lost to Covid, when another part-time associate spoke up saying "well, they didn't need to die.  Doctors had all these modifications, vitamins and treatments that would have saved lives and the government wouldn't let them."  Is that statement enough to let you know she's a Fauci hating MAGA?  And, of course, I'm at the point where I've had it up to my earlobes with shit like this, so I let loose... sort of.  I said, "shut up you stupid, old bitch."  She didn't take that lightly and retorted.  "You probably voted for Biden."  She also said Covid wasn't that bad because she didn't get it.  Rather than resort to fisticuffs, we ended the conversation.  

Later, knowing I shouldn't have lost my temper, I approached her and said, "I apologize for my candor," knowing full well she had no idea of the definition.

Today is primary day in Pennsylvania.  Tra-la-la-la-la.  The Republican bloodletting is about to begin... or, since it is nearly 0800, has already begun.  Doug Mastriano, a state senator who marched in Washington on Jan 6, will probably be the Republican nominee for Governor.  There is a horse race for the Republican nominee to replace that loser, Pat Twomey.  Too Close to Call.  Barrnett has said that if she doesn't get it, she will not support the candidate that does.  Now, how is that for being a team player.  Both she and Mastriano are considered unelectable.  The GOP is beside themselves. Perhaps if their candidates had more candor, instead they proffer the public nothing more than lies and deceit.

The Time has Come

 Well, can I get a bright hello to a drizzly Monday morning?  Humidity, showers, and possible thunder showers are in our forecast.  Whatever we get, you can bet it is going to make the grass grow.

Work was slow yesterday, up until the last half hour, then I signed up 2 couples for measures and possible installs.  That should make the big boys happy.  They're always looking for sales.  I don't mind selling measures and installs, as long as I don't need to work too hard.  Semi-retired, you know?  The Gung-Ho days are long gone.  Not that I was ever really Gung-Ho about any of my jobs.  I did them well enough to get decent pay increases, but I was never a 'do or die' loyalist to management.  Being in management was nice, but I never felt to need to keep climbing.  Maybe I'm just not greedy or selfish enough.  

I work with an associate who's like that, has a 5-year plan.  He, however, sees managers as being that group of people who do less and have others do more.  Hah.  He wants the authority without demonstrating the require work ethic.  We did just bring in a new assistant manager... who walks around wearing a small backpack.  Yesterday, as I was leaving, I saw the wannabe sporting... you guessed it, a small backpack.  

The latest book cover is now on the wall.  Next up, The Body Under Ice.  

Of course, we had that horrific shooting up in Buffalo and, of course, we have crass Republicans desperately trying to be more vulgar than the next.  I saw where that white supremacist Wendy Rogers said it was a 'false flag' thrown up by the Feds.  Someone needs to start punching her in the mouth every time she blurts out her stupidity, not that she'll learn anything, but at least someone will have the pleasure of punching her in the mouth.  

In fact, we, as a party, should have started punching back a long time ago.  Remember when Michelle Bachmann used to claim there was a war on Christianity?  Well, we should have started bopping her upside her head back then, rather than play Mr. Nice Guy.  All you have to do is look around to see where being nice has gotten us.  A minority group has managed to squeeze themselves into the power seat and their hatred of everything that isn't, by their standards, socially conservative, is under attack.  Over time, they will only get worse as they attempt to rule.  The time has come for bopping them upside their heads.

The Failure of Thomas

 Holy Crap!  it's Sunday!  and on this day of rest, I have to work.  Very cloudy overhead, with the forecast to reach into the upper 70s (F) and thunder boomers this afternoon.  

Yesterday was only semi-productive.  The veggie meal I was planning was replaced by 2 bowls of salad and a chimichanga.  I did get a 14-mile ride in on Lago D'Iseo, which is one of my favorite rides. 

The Central Air was also turned on yesterday.  It will be turned on today before I leave work since temps are predicted to get warm.  If the long-range forecast is correct, next week we will be hitting the 90's (F) here.  That's much too warm for this time of year.  Global warming is real.  At least we don't have the energy problems Texas is having.  Keep in mind, they do have a Republican governor who added to the inflation problem with his stunt of shutting down the border. 

I ordered a gaming keyboard for the gaming computer.  What can I say, I got a deal... a really good deal.  Purchasing my new Alienware PC gave me so many points, and then I received a coupon in the mail for 10% off any Alienware products, including accessories.  Rather than paying the $154 for the keyboard, I'm getting it for $63.  Thats not a bad deal.

Feel the Rainbow!

Finland is joining NATO!  Putin is all pissy, and this is not what our pro-Russkie senators want: the MAGAs hate that his authoritarian government is being challenged.  Oddly enough, I was talking to a friend on the phone last evening who mentioned that Vlad was struggling with cancer, and not fifteen minutes after that conversation I got a flash from Newsweek blurting out that he had blood cancer.  He is costing the oligarchs money; they want him out of there.

There were many, many Pro-Choice walks yesterday, and I do believe there are going to be more today, not that they're going to affect the Cracker Jack Crazies hunched down in their pews thanking Jesus for helping them overturn Roe v Wade.  Believe me, they are happy as pigs in shit.  Remember, if you're not with them, your expendable.

And Clarence Thomas is also spitting out his normal vein of horse shit.  I took the time to watch a video of him speaking at this conservative conference.  He truly is a bloated toad filled with arrogance.  His ego is bristling with joy that he is part of this decision.  How presumptuous of him to blame everyone else other than the court.  People in the room laughed when he claimed that the court was actually like a dysfunctional family that's fine when it gets together for lunch.  Being dysfunctional is not good and believing that the 'superficial' fineness of shared lunch is terrible.  And he blames everybody else.  This leak has diminished the Supreme Court because 5 justices are politically motivated to force their religious beliefs upon a majority.  Thomas is a failure as a human being, and a black man, and he seems quite happy to blame everyone else for his failings.

We Are Not Sheep

 Well, it looks like we have an overcast, dizzily at times Saturday in store for us here in Central PA.  Nice, huh?  

Today's going to meatless for me.  Veggies sauteed in olive oil are on the menu.  By veggies, I mean cabbage, tomatoes, green peppers, onions, and mushrooms... though the last is really a fungus.  So, I suppose, if I wanted to be precise, I should say it will be a veggie / fungi day.

I used the 'saw on a stick' yesterday.  It worked well.  I didn't get hit by any falling branches!  The 3 I cut down were cut up and put in large paper bags to be picked up as lawn waste.  The only problem with that is residents can only put our 4 bags at a time and pick up is only once a month.  I'm definitely going to have more than 4 bags when I'm finished.

There are going to be many Pro-Choice demonstrations today across the country.  There is no doubt in my mind that turnout will be huge.  Not that it will change the Supreme Court ruling.  The fanatics running that show have already made up their minds.  the numbers today are not for them, rather they're meant to demonstrate to all the Republican legislators across the country that they are entering a no-win scenario.  The GOP still believes the economy will be the overriding factor in this November's midterms.  Of course, you have to remember, they are the party of greed.  Don't doubt for a second that their own polling proves their point, however, we all know how invalid polls can be, and Republicans have become very proficient at lying to pollsters. 

Still, keep in mind that even when the turnout today is massive, those numbers will be ignored.  The GOP desperately wants a socially conservative, authoritarian government.  They will have no problem trying to shove their agenda down the throats of the majority.  They are going to learn we are not the sheep they believe us to be

Treason

 Yesterday was the last of the sunny days for a while.  Temps are forecasted to stay in the mid to upper 70s (F), but cloudiness and showers are going to be hanging around.  No long, soaking rains are predicted, of course that doesn't mean the grass is going to stop growing.

My 'saw on a stick' arrived yesterday.  Full extended, it's heavier than I was expecting.  8 pounds weighs a lot less when you're holding it next to your body than it does when it's attached to a pole 10 feet away.  Then you begin dealing with balance, and counterbalance.  Unfortunately, I am the fulcrum and I'm at the end, not in the center.  In between the showers today, I hope to cut a few small branches.  We shall see how it goes.  My friend, 6'5" tall Justin has volunteered to help if any is needed.  

I tried a new white bread recipe yesterday.  This one is a keeper.

Oh, and I have peaches!  Right now, they're about the size of marbles.  They will grow.

And, of course, yesterday the January 6 committee sent out a few more subpoenas. This time those little 'hellos' went out to sitting members of Congress.  And those members of Congress?  They were very, very silent.  These 5 members haven't been indicted (yet), but they have been invited to sit down and talk with the committee before the end of May.  Timeliness is everything, remember?  I was really pleased to see that Scott Perry from PA was one of those to get an invite.  It got me to thinking.  We used to hang people for treason, is that something we still do?

A little reminder that our primaries are on Tuesday.  Save The Date.  The Orange Anus blurted out a criticism of Kathy Barrnett yesterday because she is neck and neck with his candidate, Oz the Incompetent.  Neither one is electable.  All he's doing is auditioning to be on Celebrity Apprentice, and Barnett's extremism is so far to the right she takes homophobia and anti-Muslim attacks to a whole new level.  Had she been a senator on January 6, she would have joined the traitors.

The large bat

 Yesterday was a good day.  The sun was shining.  The temps climbed up into the high 80s F).  Yard work was done.  I bought a spankin' new hose for the yard - 100 feet long!  This one will stretch to the driveway, should I ever have the desire to wash my car.

Oh, and I bought a 'saw on a stick,' at least that's what I like to call a branch saw.  I have a number of trees surrounding my yard with branches that need to be trimmed back or removed completely.  Investing in a branch saw was much safer than climbing up on a shaky ladder with my chainsaw.

Last evening, I went to see Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.  This movie is definitely non-brainer entertainment.  A cornucopia of CGI effects, the plot is a bit thin.  Spiderman, No Way Home introduced the multiverse, Dr. Strange tries to explain it... kind of, but my way is better:  there are many parallel universes, and we all exist in some way, shape, or form in each of them.  My movie buddy said, as we were leaving the theater, "they must have been doing some really fine drugs when they wrote that."  I have to agree.

Next Tuesday, Pennsylvania has its primary election.  We are one of those odd states where you can only vote if your registered as either a Democrat or a Republican.  Those registered as independents always sit out primaries.  More people are registered as Independents than the other two parties.  This means no one should look at Tuesday's election as an indicator of what's going to be happening in the state this November.

Too close to call, is what they're saying about the Republican primary.  Three candidates are neck and neck.  That's right.  Three.  McCormack, the guy from Connecticut who seems to be dropping in the polls, Oz, Trump's choice who seems to be climbing in the polls, and Kathy Barnett (sp), a black woman who has never held political office and who out MAGAs the other two.  That's right.  This woman is so far to the right she makes Oz and McCormack seem mainstream.  Tuesday will be interesting.

As expected, the vote for WHPA failed yesterday.  Democrats need to take that and turn it into a large baseball bat and start to batter the hell out of Republicans.  The time has come to take action.

Choice

Yesterday was a day of accomplishment!  Most of the lawn got mowed.  Sadly, I had to recharge the battery on the mower.  The rest will be mowed today.  I did some planting.  Got in a 13.86-mile ride, my legs were a bit sore last evening.  Set up the new storage and downloaded a game: This War of Mine, you scavenge through the town to get supplies to make your house more livable.

Of course, I have to tell the weather is marvelous.  The high today is supposed it 78 (F), which is a very good temperature for yardwork.  I have buds everywhere.  I can't wait for the color.  I even planted some marigolds.  You know?  The stinky, pretty flowers that last all summer.  And an elephant leaf plant.

For those interested, the next book is coming along fine.  The Body Under Ice.  Mackinac Island in the winter.  There is a ferry service which takes you to the island most of the year.  However, in the winter it shuts down.  When that happens, there are 2 ways to reach the island: flying in on a small plane or driving across the ice bridge.  The ice bridge... now, doesn't that sound like fun?  Believe me, if I had a choice of how to get to the island in the winter... I'd probably take the ice bridge.

Just in case you're living in the United States and haven't noticed, states are having their primary elections to choose their candidates for the fall.  Sadly, everyone in the news media is focused on the Trump endorsed candidates.  They see this as a gauge of his stranglehold on the Republican party; the more he loses the weaker his grasp.  He lost a really big one in Nebraska last night, picked up a smaller one in West Virginia.    The more he loses, the angrier his MAGA base gets.  Republicans have entered slice and dice politics and the red meat their carving up and throwing to the crowd is their own.  Very nice.

Al Jazeera has called the move by the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v Wade 'so far out of the mainstream,' which I find fascinating.  Al Jazeera knows a little bit about extremism, so when they say the current actions by the Supreme Court are out of the mainstream, they're talking about serious extremism.

Finally, Chuck Schumer is having the Senate vote today to... well, they're not going to get enough votes to codify the WHPA, but every Republican and every Democrat who vote against it will publicly identify as being against a woman's right to choose.  You see, this whole thing is about choice.  It's not about anti-abortion or pro-abortion, it is about choice.  Those who are against choice will lose.

 

Republicans believe Women are Stupid

 Well, good morning people!  Today begins a 5-day stretch without work!  Now, while that is nice, most importantly, the temps are supposed to be in the mid to upper 70s (F).  That means yard work, which will start this afternoon with a mowing of the lawn.

Soon, the flowering will begin!

Yesterday work was... meh.  No measures, no sales.  I was asked to tape and tidy up boxes of vinyl plank flooring, however the store is out of packing tape. We're also out of shrink wrap, something we wrap our rolls of cut carpet in to make them easier to maneuver.  This running out of 'essentials' always happens at the end of the fiscal month, or fiscal quarter, or fiscal year.  Shrink wrap and tape are an expense.  It's bad business to put an expense on your books when you're trying to end your month, quarter, or year with a bang... or, since we're not making our plan, not too deep in the hole.

I did get my car back yesterday.  No more Jeep Wrangler Sport.  This is a good thing.

One of the things I debated about when I bought my new computers was storage.  I had already owned a 1TB SSD drive, so I couldn't see paying Alienware a fortune for another 1TB.  Still, video games take up space... a lot of space.  While that is true, it's also true that I once I get bored with a game, I delete it.  What I ended up doing was buying a 512GB SSD drive just for games for a 1/4 the price Alienware was going to charge me.  

Of course, yesterday the Senate voted to give the Supreme Court justices and their families added police protection.  I wonder if this is because they suspect things are going to get worse before they get better.

One of the most surprising things of this Roe v Wade fiasco the court has put themselves in, is their apparent belief that women are stupid.  This is no doubt based on the conservative male's determination that they are the superior sex, that women are stupid.  Not only that, this antiquated guy's club also believes women should be 'barefoot and pregnant.'  The ending of Roe v Wade is intended to put women back in their proper place.  Republican men need a patriarchal society in order to define their masculinity.  Of course, this is all horse shit to a majority of Americans, something conservatives will never understand.

And, finally, Republicans believe that come November, women will put vote for the economy over their right to choose.  Can you hear me laughing at that?  This is the premise they are counting on.  Lyndsey Graham said as much, that in November people will be more concerned about the economy than the right to choose.  As I've said, Republicans believe women are stupid.

The Body in Repose

 For those of you who have been waiting, The Body in Repose has just been published.

A great big Thank You goes out to my proofreaders / editors: 

Patty V.

Don M.

Dave P.

Kris K.

Their work is greatly appreciated.

The story:

The rain had just begun to drizzle down around Eli and Max’s camper when the call came in from New Orleans.  Someone was killing the beautiful young people of the French Quarter.  Three murders in three weeks, and each body had been found staged in a state of repose.  They are challenged to both solve a crime and stop a fourth murder, as uncomfortable truths make them wonder if the police have made a terrible mistake.  They will traverse the French Quarter, from the Nefertiti Theater in the Amon Ra nightclub to the Sight Lines Art Studio, dogged by a relentless reporter, as they search for clues to solve the mystery of The Body in Repose.

Available for Kindle, or as a paperback.

Not True

 Happy Mother's Day!  Just think, if the Republicans get their way there will be so many, many more of you!

Here in Central PA the rain has stopped! The forecast was for between 3 and 5 inches.  Up here in Enola, we definitely got at least 5.  I know this because I had water in my basement.  For those who don't know, my basement is like a dry riverbed in Arizona, when we get a lot of rain it floods, and because I have a 117-year-old stone foundation, and because not level (higher in the back, lower in the front), water will run in from the back and out at the front.  Literally, a stream runs through it.

And in spite of the rain, I was busy at work yesterday.  People bought carpet installations. A customer asked to sign up for a credit card (I never ask), I got a measure, and I had a $4000 sale.  Management should be happy with me for at least a week.  

Today, breakfast is healthy.

I saw where Mitch McConnell said, "there may be a nationwide ban on abortion."  He believes this because he also believes that these midterms are going to follow the same route other midterms have followed: since the Democrats won the presidency, the Republicans will pick up seats in the House and Senate.  Conservatives have always believed their own lies, and there are a lot of them.  Like their belief, proven by Reagan's landslide reelection) that there is a massive, silent majority of conservatives in America.  Not true.  Otherwise, wouldn't need to rely on the electoral college to put someone in the oval office.

They believe Americans suffer from short term memory loss, that the events of January 6 will have little or no effect.  Not true.  Even though they continue to downplay that attempted coup, Republicans like Tom Rice are speaking out in debates against Trump.  If you get a chance, watch that little video, it's gotten hundreds of thousands of views in just a few hours.

They believe Americans will forget comments such as the one Amy Coney Barrett made in her brief defending the overthrow of Roe v Wade, that as a country we need "a domestic supply of infants."  Not true.  Their religion does not allow them to believe that women are not vessels, they're not cattle, and they are not breeders, but human beings, each with a mind and a will of her own.

This morning, as I was reading McConnell's comments in my Newsweek feed, the inference was made that his and other Republicans beliefs were no longer a certainty, that they were no longer insured to take back both the House and Senate.  This is true.  The midterm results so far are not a joyful celebration of their return to power, rather they decry the struggle Republicans will face just to keep from losing the power they have.

Pennsylvania Politics

 We've had over 24 hours of rain.  The forecasters are not calling for it to end until early this afternoon, about the time I head off to work.  At that point, the sun is going to slowly appear, the temps will slowly creep up, and the grass will begin to grow like hell.

Today is also the first day of Kids Workshop, and, as I said, it's raining.  I have no idea how many parents show up with their kids, prior to Covid it was not unusual to get between 250 and 300.  That place is going to be a mess, which is why I'm no longer available to work before 1 PM on Saturdays.

Because yesterday was rainy, I found myself doing very little... other than snacking my way through the day.  Not a good thing.  I didn't step on the treadmill, didn't climb aboard the bike.  Instead, I puttered around trying to take selfies with the dogs.  If I'm standing up, they listen.  If I'm sitting on the floor, they do not.  With that being said, here's a very rare photo of me and Biggie.  Word of warning, this might burn out a lot of pixels in you monitor.

Evidently the Orange Anus had a rally yesterday out near Pittsburgh... in the rain, for Dr. Oz.  The cultists were not enthusiastic.  The local police were supposed to help with security, but that got canned.  Usually they will run the metal detectors, however his team wanted them to actually be security, however their attorney axed that fast.

It was supposed to help Dr. Oz. who's not too popular among the MAGA base being that he's a Muslim on top of being an alien, well, not quite an alien, he has dual citizenship.  It seems as though the Republicans are grating themselves to pieces in Pennsylvania.  Good.

One on the speakers yesterday was JD Vance, the Trump backed, hillbilly author, who just won the Republican nomination for senator in Ohio.  People pointed out that it was Trump's candidate that won, but those people should probably hit the brake pedal.  Vance ended up with a little over 340,000 votes, however, over 680,000 Republican voters in the state of Ohio cast their ballot for someone else.  Someone needs to tell the Republicans Vance did not have a stunning victory.

And, finally, yesterday Clarence Thomas said that Americans need to stop bullying government intuitions.  This makes him look like a hypocritical piece of shit after his fat wife tried to bully Congress into decertifying the election.  Isn't it time we flushed this turd?

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.

Acountability

 Well, it's Thursday, the sun is shining, and the temps are supposed to reach up into the lower 70s (F).  I'm supposed to work today, that schedule is not fixed in stone, however.   I have to call the repair shop this morning and see how they are doing with my car.  When I picked up my rental Jeep, I was told I was supposed to return it today. If this is not the case, I'll need to contact Erie Insurance and let them know there's been a delay.

I received 2 notifications within the past week of utilities that have applied to increase their rates.  Son of a bitch!  Both water and electric have asked to charge more.  Per PP&L (my electric provider), the average family could see their cost go up by as much as $34 per month.  If mine goes up that much, it would be a 33% increase.  I will have to wait until June to see how much my rate will go up.  I feel sorry for single parent households when the costs go up and the paycheck stays the same, but then that's American Capitalism for you.

While I don't watch too much TV, there are certain shows I like.  I tolerate (barely) Picard.  My biggest problem is that it seems like every single cast member has a story arc.  I wonder if they have it written into their contracts that they each get a personalized, four-minute storyline in each episode.

One show I really am liking is Halo, on Paramount, and not because it stars 6-foot, 5-inch Pablo Schreiber as the MasterChef.  Scientists took him as a child and made him into the perfect fighting machine... well, not quite.  Whereas Picard is cartoony, this show is quite intense.  If you're looking for warm, fuzzy, feelgood endings stick with Picard.  If you want to sit in your chair and say, "Holy shit!," give Halo a watch.

For those who don't know, there has been a surge in hepatitis among children under 6 years of age.  One of the things they know about his illness is that all of these children had Covid, and were too young to be given a vaccine.  These cases are not isolated, but are happening all over the world, and every day more children are diagnosed.  

And I understand justice Alito has cancelled an appearance at a Circuit Court meeting scheduled for today. That's just one tidbit.  Barriers are being put up around the Supreme Court building, that's another.  Sounds like they're expecting an outpouring of American rage.  Not that the Republicans care.  They are the party of the selfish.  They need to be taught the lesson that they are not special, that they too have accountability.

Fallout

 Well, yesterday was... different.  After dropping off my car at the repair shop, I was chauffeured to Enterprise to pick up my rental.  I had already decided that I would ask for an SUV; I hate sitting low to the road.  My agent, a young man named Sean who looks very much like a shorter version of my friend Justin, who's 6 feet 6 inches, surprised me with my options, which were limited.  That's right, there was not a great selection.  What I ended up with was this:

That's right, I'm in a Jeep.  It's okay.  I told a friend last evening that if I was ever wealthy enough to feel I needed to own 2 cars, a jeep might be one... but then again it might not.

As I said, yesterday turned out to be...different.  

Sadly, most of the day was spent scanning news releases and social media for opinions on the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v Wade, (with a smidgen of interest in the Ohio primary).  Some conclusions:

A majority of Americans now see the Supreme Court as a political tool of the far right.  Evidently Alito affirmed this when he said, "our decisions are not dependent upon public opinion."

There are a lot of whispers that the leak was done on purpose, hoping the fallout will be over by the midterms.

The only ones happy about the decision are Republicans, who are more concerned about the leak.  However, the shit sock that hit them in the face yesterday, is going to hit them in the face again at the end of June when their decision is made official.  They are too giddy to understand the coming repercussions, and this is important, because they don't see it as a shit sock.   This is evidenced by Lyndsey Graham's comment about this will probably have some impact on the midterms. Of course, when have conservatives ever demonstrated any concern for anything other than their own selfish objectives?  

Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski?  The Conservative Boys Club they wanted to so much be a part of has just shit on them both.  People are calling Collins and easily duped dumbass.  Her political career is now over, and the Conservative Boys Club doesn't care.  These women are no longer useful.

Republicans will never understand that being selfish and self-centered doesn't make them smart.  This is their ultimate "shut up!  We're in charge!" moment.

JD Vance won the senate primary in Ohio.  He was backed by Trump.  Mandel, who had been a moderate, flipped into a radical rightist lost.  Had he stayed moderate, like DeWine, the Governor, he might have won.  I do not have too much confidence Vance will carry the election, being a Trumper, the Supreme Court decision will most likely doom his candidacy.

And, to end on a cheery note:  May the Fourth be With You.

This is What Happens

 I get to take my car to the repair shop this morning.  They're going to fix the damage from when the bitty rock bounced up and hit my fog light.  I asked how long?  Their replay:  "We don't exactly know.  Everything depends upon if there's any 'hidden' damage."  I'm figuring on 3 or 4 days.

Biggie's carprofen arrives today.  He seems to have been doing well with just the gabapentin, so his dosage may be doled out sparingly. 

And, of course, everyone's topic, as I don't doubt will be the case for every blog I read, the leaked document from the Supreme Course will get my little opinionizing comments. 

First off, I'm going to remind all those non-voters of 6 years ago that this is what you didn't vote for; this is also the reason why it should make it self-mandatory to vote.  This is what happens when you say, "I don't really like either candidate."  For those of you who believed the polls and didn't vote because you were sure Hillary was going to win?  This is what happens.

Has anybody been keeping count of the number of times Susan Collins has said that Brett Kavanaugh told the Senate he would not overturn Roe vs Wade?  Well, the drunken frat boy lied and now she's going to be walking around with shit in her pants for the rest of her life.

This is what happens when you don't vote and a moral degenerate wins the election, a man who will give his base anything in order to get re-elected.  This is what happens when you give a socially conservative party control: they will destroy everything you hold dear.  Believe me, abortion is just their first target.

What I really find interesting is the timing of this decision, 6 months away from the mid-term elections.  while the anti-abortionists are dancing in the streets, I do not doubt that largest voting bloc in America let out a gasp of horror.  While there are a number in that bloc who claim to be pro-life, a large majority of them believe the choice for terminating a pregnancy should be theirs, and their alone.  This group does not want to be told they have no choice.  This group believes all decisions about pregnancy should be there, and there's alone.  They want to be responsible for their own bodies.  And it's 6 months from the mid-term elections.

Interestingly, running up to the primaries in Pennsylvania, for the past 2 weeks big John Fetterman has been running ads pertaining to Roe v Wade.  Big bold headlines:  They are going to take this away from you if you let them.  He's right.  This November, Democrats, and Independents, and even Centrist Republicans need to teach conservatives a lesson.  Vote Blue.

The Truth is in the Babies

 Another work week begins.  Yaaaay, and for me this is going to be an 8-hour workday.  But that's okay, I am off for the next 2 days.  Temps are forecasted to be in the upper 60s (F), which is fine with me.  There is one day when they drop down into the 50s (F), but after that they are predicting daytime highs in the mid-70s.

Yesterday was issue day at work because it was the end of the fiscal quarter.  When sales are up, as has been the case for the past 2 years, there is no promotion, no incentive, for people to purchase a flooring installation.  This year revenue is down, so there was a 10% discount on flooring installations over a certain amount.  This brought out several very frugal customers... and every one of them had issues that couldn't be resolved on a Sunday.  One customer, who was measured back in February, purchased the wrong flooring to get that discount, his plan?  To cancel that order and replaced with a cheaper product once he decides which product to use.  He has 3 days to cancel and still get the discount.  After he and his wife left, we looked at each other and laughed, one of us muttering "well, this is going to be a real cluster fuck."

I saw this on Marc's blog and had to copy it.

I don't know if everybody will understand how pertinent that meme is but believe me it says a lot about science vs religion.  One of the 'end-of-time' religions has done a lot for science: astronomy, mathematics, health services (they developed triage).  The other?  Well, that one hates science.  One of these 2 religions has had a messiah, which set their timer ticking, the other has had a prophet, leaving room for possibly another prophet... or two, before their messiah arrives.  One of them needs to keep its disciples primitive, eliminating education which enlightens, the other is slowly evolving.   Both of them like to dictate the lives of their followers, however one is slowly moving forward, the other requires thinking from an earlier time.  Interestingly enough, the one that is slowly moving forward is also making lots of babies, the other one?  The one that desperately wants to be stuck in the past?  Well, that one isn't making a lot of babies.  i wonder sometimes if this might be their Judgement.

Anyway, I see that another Republican governor is on the verge of throwing his hat in the presidential ring, some guy named Asa Hutchinson from one of those red states to the south.  This will be interesting.  Also, I get a feed from Newsweek, which is conservative, meaning it lacks centrist honesty, and they published an opinion yesterday stating DeSantis was going to win by a landslide.  I'm still laughing at that one.

Trump was Sent to Destroy them

 Will Sunday be a slow day?  Even though the sun is shining, and the temps are to climb into the high 60s (F)?  Well, if today is like yesterday, my money is saying "sloooooow," especially at the flooring desk.  The garden department was hopping.  Trucks, cars, and SUVs were lined up at we call the mulch pit, a driveway between too long walls of palletized mulch.   Drivers show garden associates their paid receipts and the associates load up their vehicles.  If you're into a paid workout, apply for that position now.

Here's a bit about one our new associates.  I was talking to a strapping, young man (mid-20s), fully bearded and looking like he's waiting to pose for Fearsome's page, who was hired to be one of the above-mentioned garden associates.  When I asked him how it was going, he said, "well, it's hard work and the customers can be really demanding, but this is just an in-between job."  He seemed like a nice guy, but I suspect he will always be working 'in-between' jobs until he decides it's too much work to apply for another one.

As the editing continues on The Body in Repose, work is still continuing on Eli and Max's next chapter, The Body Under Ice.  Listening to the radio, I'm always trying to pick apart the lyrics of the song that's playing and wondering if they might be useful.  Here's one that has joined the list of contenders for the next book.

And here is an interesting poll.  While Americans are still worried about the economy, Biden's poll numbers have begun to improve.  Republicans still hate him, but then Republicans hate everyone who doesn't kiss the ass of Donald Trump.  More importantly, this poll indicates a sudden increase in Democrats who are concerned about the mid-terms.  I don't doubt for an instant this is because of what we are seeing in Florida, and in Texas, and every other state where Republicans are in power.  For years, we've heard talk about what Republicans would do if they came into full power, in those states, Americans are seeing their dark side.  The attack on Disney?  That was the turning point.  The moment the Cracker Jack Crazies posted that large 'pedophile' sign at the entrance to Disney World they party of Trump stepped in shit.  And then there was Abbott shutting down the border in Texas to inspect every single truck.  Americans looked at that and said, "What The Fuck!"   And Republicans aren't stopping, they're shrieking away on Fox News, and Democratic voters and Independent voters are stepping back and saying "Holy Shit!" And in a little over a month, the January 6 committee is going to begin televised hearings during Prime Time.  Republicans are going to learn, Trump wasn't sent to lead them, he was sent to Destroy Them.

Primary This

 A happy Saturday to everyone out there!

I am scheduled to work today, and tomorrow, and Monday.  Full eight-hour shifts, too.  The temps are forecast to hit the high 60s (F) today, so I sure our garden department will be busy.  This is the season of mulch.  We sell tons of it... literally.  I don't use it, possibly because my mom, using what I believe was an attempt at a French accent, always referred to it as 'mulsh.'  She did the same thing with charcoal, so when we grilled, we grilled with 'sharcoal.'

Weather wise, today is predicted to be nice.  Tomorrow?  Rain is supposed to come to town. 

I picked up Biggie's prescription for gabapentin and there was a price increase: 2 cents a capsule.  Everything goes up in cost, the income stays the same. 

One of the things I am truly grateful for is owning my home.  I have friends who are in the upper 60's who rent and are not going into semi-retirement because they will need to be paying rent for the rest of their lives.  I don't think renters ever realize that rent payment is never going to go away until it's too late for them to buy.  

And, of course, Primary season is approaching, taht wonderful time when voters decide who is going to run in the fall midterms.  In Pennsylvania, we have 2 out-of-staters vying to replace that loser, Pat Toomey.  Who will garner the nomination?  The Cracker Jack Crazy Thompson?  Or the Trump backed wonderful wizard of Oz?  Oh... wait, I'm wrong, it's Mehmet Oz.  The wizard wants nothing to do with this.

And if you think the Pennsylvania primary interesting, you'll simply love the North Carolina primary in which Madison Crawford is running to keep a failed political career alive.  I understand there is a video with Crawford's male scheduler groping Madison's crotch.  No, I haven't seen it, not that I think it matters.  While I would love to see him notch up the nomination for what would be a sure win for Democrats in November, I'm fairly certain he has racked up enough irreparable damage to lose.  Of course, we are talking about North Carolina republicans here, so at this point anything goes.

Weight and Truth

 Friday has arrived.  This is the last of 6 consecutive days off.  Tomorrow, I go back to work for 3 days.  Over the next couple of weeks, I'm being scheduled 3 days on, and 4 days off.  That's fine with me.  Business is slow, or at least it has been.  Prior to the pandemic, this time of year we would have been busy.  Warm weather translated to higher sales.  Trendy people thought about 'curb appeal,' mostly because HGTV told them this was important.  I've never fallen into that trap.  I don't need my house to look stunningly perfect.  

My trip to the VA went fine.  My bloodwork is in good shape.  I had a substitute doctor; my regular guy was at a funeral.  So instead of chit-chatting, I was shown graphs and told 'this is very good,' several times.  Normally, they give me a print-off.  That didn't happen, so I'll print them off later this morning.

Biggie's bloodwork, like mine, was fine.  They've approved his Carprofen for another 6 months.  His Vet wants him to have bloodwork again in November.  Oh, and they want him to 'fast' before it's drawn.  That will be difficult.

Oh, and I went to the movies last night to see The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  Like so many other people, I am not a big Nick Cage fan, so there was trepidation.  Let's be honest, Cage's filmography is filled with titles that continually make you wonder just what the hell was he thinking.  That same thinking also applies to his personal life, but that's a different subject. 

Anyway, the idea of a self-obsessed actor playing a fictional (?) version of himself is... intriguing.  Most of us can only take so much of Nick Cage.  To be perfectly honest, the film succeeds not because of Cage, but because of Pablo Pascal, his co-star.  Javi's entrance flips the movie onto its head, and rather than a film about a fictional Nick Cage and his ego, it spins into a new direction.  Suddenly, it becomes a film about 2 cinephiles writing a movie about their friendship.  The chemistry between Cage and Pascal is very good, their comedic timing is almost impeccable as they play off each other.  They are very, very funny.

Finally, I don't know about you, but I think another really funny thing going on right now is the feud between Marjorie (I hate Catholics) Taylor something or other, and Bill Donohue (sp) is pretty damn hysterical.  He's a self-righteous loser who is in charge of the ultra-conservative Catholic League (sp), and he's pissed because she said Catholics were being run by Satan.  Of course, Billy boy is terribly upset.  He believed Evangelicals saw Catholics as equals.  Wrong.  While Evangelicals will encourage Catholics to vote Republican, they want nothing to do with them.  Your average protestant sees the catholic as a heretic.  Your average evangelical sees them as being damned to Hell.  This is a truth Billy boy will never understand.

The Big Sucking Truck

 Well, it's Thursday.  I have my physical this morning, and I get my 2nd booster.  Oh, and there is some other stuff planned.

We had a freeze warning. We came close.  It's 37 (F) outside, though dawn's warming temperatures are creeping around us as I type.

The ghost has been at it again in my house.  I woke up this AM to find all of the lights hooked up to Alexa were on.  They were off when I went to bed.   There is the possibility I got up sometime during the night, went downstairs and gave Alexa the command, "let there be light."  Who knows?

Yesterday was odd.  Biggie had a Vet appointment.  They took blood to see how his system was handling the Carprofen.  $164.  Holy Crap!

Oh, and my neighbors had their house sucked, or I guess if you don't like that word, they had it vacuumed, or at least they had their duct work cleaned.  Believe me, it was very loud.

A big sucking truck

I guess the Republican members of the House had a private meeting yesterday at the end of which Kevin McCarthy got a standing ovation of support.  At least that's what was released to the media.  Is the report accurate?  Possibly.  However, none of us will ever know what was communicated beforehand.  One thing you need to be certain of, they are going to do their damndest to show a united front.  Do not doubt there is growing concern among Republicans that the big sucking truck called the January 6 Committee is going to clean their ducts.  Oh, and they know the sucking will be well underway by the time the mid-terms roll around.

 

Perry will Plead

 Well, a happy middle of the week to everybody out there.  The weather here in central PA is clear and cool.  Temp is sitting around 47 (F).  Looking out the window in the computer / workout room, I can see a breeze is rustling through the branches of one of the river birches I have planted in my yard.  There is a freeze warning in effect for tonight. For me?  It will, as usual, be a 2-dog night.

Taken a few minutes ago

For a while yesterday, I thought accomplishments might be few and far between, but that wasn't to be the case.  Laundry was done, some yard work, a 12-mile ride on the bicycle, and I froze much of the cake I baked.  Had I not done that, I'd have been picking at it constantly, and by sometime this afternoon a majority would have been eaten.

Have you noticed that as the time approaches for the January 6 committee to begin public hearings, Republican governors and legislatures are ratcheting up their attack laws?  This is not by coincidence.  You see there is this little group down in Washington called the January 6 Committee and they've begun to publicly dot their cross their t's and dot their i's. Barely a day goes by without some news organization publishing texts or taped conversations.  In the darkest part of their hearts, the Republican party is beginning to realize they're on the road to failure.  There is so much anger and hatred being directed at McCarthy right now, it's only a matter of time until he flips.  

And Scott Perry of Pennsylvania?  His texts to Mark Meadows sing the sour notes of mental derangement's score.  The bit about the 'Brits controlling the election,' now, that is a real winner.  Don't tell BoJo that, he'll wonder how they could have screwed up such a wonderful opportunity.  And, how about the bit where he asks Meadows in a text 'why we just don't work with the Italian Government?'  For those of you who don't know, this is what an insurrectionist sounds like.  At present, Perry has refused to talk to the January 6 committee.  He will change his mind.  And when he does, he will plead the 5th over, and over, and over again.

The non-debate

 Rain is in the forecast for today.  Temps will reach the mid 60s (F) and then begin to drop. We will be chilly for the rest of the week.  That's fine.  I will turn the heat back on probably since highs are only supposed to be in the mid 50s (F).  That's cool.

Yesterday was busy.  Lawn got mowed.  2.20 miles on the treadmill.  Olive oil cake baked.  As well as the garbage being taken to the curb, several other things made it there as well, including a very old shop vac.  As usual, the pickers passed down the street overnight and many of the 'other things' were moved from the curb to the backs of pickup trucks.  Except for the shop vac.  Someone took the top vacuum section and left the bottom cannister section.  Very Interesting.

Here's a picture of the cake.  I skipped the lemon and added ricotta cheese, dried cherries, and almond extract.  It's tasty, but I should have used cream cheese rather than the ricotta, which made it overly moist.

The Republican candidates for Pennsylvania senator held a debate last evening.  Two things were apparent: 1. all 5 of them believe attacking the other candidates was more important than talking about either credentials or policy; 2 now is not the time to move on from the 2020 presidential election, though McCormack did say Biden is the problem.  Evidently Oz frequently mentioned he Trump's endorsement.  He was also the one most vehement about Trump losing Pennsylvania, so I'm guessing he had to bow down before Trump and swear eternal allegiance to The Big Lie in order to get that endorsement.

And, finally, yesterday Ron DeSantis signed a bill creating an 'election police force,' meant to ensure the integrity of elections. I don't doubt for a second that this is the Republican equivalent of the Gestapo.  You see, Ronnie wants to run for president in 2024, however his chances of success would be far less likely if he loses in his run up for a 2nd term as governor.  His every action has one purpose, to unite the Republican base in Florida.  To do that he has attacked Disney's Right of Free Speech, calling the woke.  He has also eliminated the voices of 2 voting districts whose majority was black.  He is going to do everything within his power to keep minorities away from the polls.  You see, he believes that is the only way he can win.  Prepare yourselves for The Big Lie (part 2) when he loses.

The dark side of 'none of the above'

 Well, hello to a brand-new week, hopefully one filled with accomplishments.

If I have to tell the truth about yesterday, well, I was pretty much of a slug all day.  One of the bad things about living with dogs, who normally sleep 18 hours a day, is that they are ready to doze away an hour or so the minute you say the word nap.  I try to avoid taking naps on most days, not yesterday, though.

Loading the Rosetta Stone course for German into the new PC is the only thin worth mentioning.  I bought the course 11 years ago, back before Rosetta realized they could make more from subscribers than from selling a course with 5 discs.  Like most Rosetta language courses it's terribly weak because they give no rhyme or reason as to why things are done, however it is good for working your accent.

I did snap another picture of some of my tulips.

I saw in Le Monde this morning that, when it came to voting for either Macron or Le Penne, 3 million ballots were left blank, which is the same as saying "none of the above."  While indignant voters may believe this to be a good way to protest, it really says more about failure than anything else.  Had Le Penne won, she would have started making dramatic changes; a president can do horrific damage in just a few years.  Take NATO.  She hates NATO, as does Putin, as does China, as do most wannabe authoritarian governments.  This is not because NATO is bad.  Nope.  What most people don't realize that when problems arise, like the Ukraine, NATO joins forces and becomes the Largest Super Power in the World.  A united NATO has the largest GDP, they have the largest army, and... they do have nuclear capabilities.  This is why Sweden and Finland want to join NATO.  

Speaking of the Ukraine, I saw where  Russian ground forces are again running into problems.

And, finally, I saw that Kevin McCarthy is traveling south to the border today.  Why, you ask?  Because Kevin knows the MAGA base doesn't care if he is covered in shit as long as he feeds their hunger with tons of anti-immigration red meat.  With the rest of the country looking at him and saying WTF, he is desperately trying to hold onto the base.

That's fine with me

 Well, a happy Sunday morning to everybody out there.  I am starting 6 consecutive days away from work today.  If I were working fulltime, I'd call this a Staycation since I'm not going anywhere, however, since I'm a part-timer now, I'll just call it a a non-scheduled work week.  I'm scheduled again next Saturday, the same the Kid's Workshops restart.  Can you tell how excited I am?

The temps today are forecasted to reach the high 70s (F) to low 80s (F), so I'm betting I'll be turning on the window A/C units upstairs.  We might get a late afternoon thunderstorm, again, that's fine with me.  My outdoor plans as limited.  Tomorrow the temps are supposed to drop back into the mid 60s (F) for the rest of the week.  I can deal with that, too.

I'm thinking of extending the veranda by the side of the house.  That would be laborious, which means it's a good way to burn calories.  Burning calories is always good.

One of the things that I realized as I was moving files to the new computer was the number of pictures I have of Lily.  While I talk a lot about Biggie, the shots I have of her vastly outnumber the pics I have of him.  He was not happy, so I took this one as he shot me the stink eye while he brooded away on the futon. 

The French election is today.  Le Pen is close enough that she could swing an upset.  People will vote for her because they hate Macron and his mask and vaccine mandates.  The fact that Le Pen has some serious ties to Russia, and Trump's blow bro Vlad doesn't even cross their minds.  They aren't even considering that if she were to win, they might end up with some 'friendly' Russian troops stationed in France to 'help keep the peace.'  For them, the bright side is not having to worry about mask or vaccine mandates, and they are far worse than Russians in Paris.

We have the same problem in America; people not wanting to wear masks or get vaccinated.  That's fine with me.  We now know that unlike chicken pox or mumps, Covid has no lasting immunity.  Like the common cold, you will get it again, and again, and again.  I know of 3 people in my store who've had it twice, and for 2 of them the second time was worse than the first time they had it.  The one person who had milder symptoms the 2nd time had chosen to get vaccinated.  I'm getting my 2nd booster on Thursday, which is fine with me.  

Playing with himself

 Work 1 day, and then off for 6.  That's my schedule beginning today.  I'm happy with that. The weather is supposed to be rather unimpressive: tomorrow and Monday temps will be in the mid to upper 70s (F), but then there will be storms again and the temps will drop.

Yesterday, I rode over 11 miles in Norway, along a fjord.  Very Nice!  Today, prior to work, there will be a fast walk on the treadmill.  That's all I will ever do, fast walks, 3.3 - 3.6 miles per hour.  I will never break into a jog, or sprint.  That's running.  I ran when I was in college.  I really hate running.  I have a friend who runs over 100 miles per week.  He goes into the zone.  I was never able to hit the zone, mostly because the one thought racing around my mind was "I hate this shit."

I made it toasted cheese sandwich for lunch yesterday, not tomato soup, though.  Still, it was tasty as hell.

One of the writers for Newsweek, Jeffrey Toobin, said yesterday that DeSantis was going to win his war with Disney.  Y'all remember Jeff?  He also writes for the Murdoch owned New York Post?  He's also the guy who was put on leave by CNN for playing with himself during a Zoom call.  People on that call got to see a little jerkin'.  Anyway, Jeff's preachin' that America is fed up Liberal values being shoved down their throats.  He evidently has no problem with those on the right shoving their conservative values down America's throat.  Like so many people in this country, Jeff doesn't understand that America is Centrist.  The culture wars being brought by the Ultraright are an attack on that Centrist position.  They are attempting to shift America into a Socially Conservative Zone they can dominate.  I really think that what Jeff needs to do is to give up his day job, and go back to simply playing with himself.

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. 

They Should Have Taken Off Their Shirts

 So early in the morning, and yet so late in the day, for met at least.  You see, I've already been out and about.  I had a blood draw scheduled for 0715 this morning.  Oh, and I had to fill the little pee cup.  Fun stuff, you know?

Yesterday was filled with accomplishments:  8 miles on the bike, cleaned and vacuumed the upstairs, moved the new PC to a better spot on the desk, and several loads of the ever-present laundry.  Oh, and a snapped a pic of some of my tulips.

Oh, and I went to see The Secrets of Dumbledore last evening.   My feelings?  Hhhhmm, which is better than a meh by a small amount.  It's been at least 3 years since I saw the 2nd part of this trilogy which wasn't supposed to be a trilogy.  What?  Yep, after the first film made a bundle upon release, the producers decided to stretch the story out for 3 films.  Bad idea.  Not enough source material.  Still, they decided to stretch the running time out to almost 2.5 hours.  Bad idea.  Also, three years saw whatever interest I had invested in the characters completely dissipate.  Eddie Redmayne gets top billing, but Jude Law is the title character, and the story is about him stopping Grindewald (sp), who's now played by Mads Mikkelson rather than Johnny Depp.  The special effects are strong, the story, however, is weak.  Things might have improved if, perhaps, the men had started taking off their shirts.

And finally, if you seem to have noticed a lot of Republican attacks on the LGBTQ community lately, you're not alone.  Mid-terms are coming up and they're throwing any red meat they can at their base to get them riled up and to the polls.  You see Donnie (the Orange Anus) Trump just ain't hitting the high notes anymore.  He's endorsed a New Jersey Muslim for the Senate seat in Pennsylvania.  Tennessee just kicked another one of his endorsements off the ballot because she failed to meet the state's requirements.  He threw a poorly attended rally.  Oh, and he just walked off of an interview with a desperate Piers Morgan over questions about The Big Lie.  They're savior is showing his charlatan colors and the Republicans need someone to attack, and... well, Hillary's isn't running and Hunter Biden's laptop has no legs.

Conservative Attacks

 Yesterday was cold and breezy.  That being said, I'm pleased with my accomplishments.

I took the Cannondale X6 into the bike shop for their 'trade and sale' event.  At this point in my life, there isn't even a bad reason for me to own 2 bikes.  While old, the bike is in pristine condition, but again, it is old, so I figured try to get $150 to $200.  I was more than a little surprised when they asked if I'd set the top price at $300.  Of course, I said "sure," but was even more surprised when, after the owner took the bike back into the shop, to have him hand me a receipt putting the top price at $375.  Even though that would be very nice, I doubt if it will sell for that much.  Still, the surprise was nice.

Laundry was done, I put in 2 miles on the treadmill, plus some rearranging and cleaning of the exercise/computer room.  Even though Microsoft provides good security, I was thinking about getting some additional free virus support for the new PC.  Avast has good reviews, so I downloaded the free version.  However, when I went to try out a game I'd downloaded from Microsoft's Game Pass, Avast blocked it.  We're talking Microsoft's Game Pass here, not some hole in the wall software company, so Avast was uninstalled rapidly.  I also had to uninstall the game and redownload it because when Avast blocked it, it blocked it permanently.

And how about the Conservative attacks on Disney?  Their hypocrisy is coming straight from Hell.

Republicans had no problem with Disney as long as campaign donations flowed into their coffers, however, once that started changing Conservatives turned rabid.  Truthfully, social conservatives have long had a problem with Disney's stand on diversity.  You see, they want Disney to hate the same way they hate, the same way Jesus tells them to hate... oh... wait a minute.  Jesus doesn't tell them to hate.  It's one of the other guys, one of the disciples, perhaps Saul, who changed his name to Paul because Saul sounded way too Jewish.  Social conservatives want you to turn off Disney.  Cut the cord!  They want you to believe you'll be damned if you watch the next season of The Mandalorian.  Can you hear me laughing at them?