A sense of achievement

 Nothing like low blood sugar to alter one's plans; I did leg day at the gym this morning, and I had planned to do arms tonight, but lo and behold, I couldn't.  Funny, sort of, in that it has been low all night; I've tried NOT to eat 9,000 things to force it up, but I am also trying to prevent it from going too high...some days, of course, you just have to remember that insulin is a hormone and some days it has a mind of its own... 

In the meantime, at the weigh-in this morning I came in under 190 pounds; first time in a while...  to be sure, there is not much mystery to it.  I have minimized snacking (save for low blood sugar-related activities), done some more exercise, drank more water, and ate smaller/healthier meals.  (I like salmon.)  I think I can keep it up, just a matter of doing so... but it was good, mentally, to see the low number for once.

I was updating the restaurant list today, and I realized I didn't hit Tremont Scoops before it closed; I suspect it was because I was carless for a bit without brakes, busy at work and other things, and...well, the usual.  Anyways, this does suck, and then I got to realizing I need to start hitting some of these places.  To be sure, there are many reasons why I don't -- like not being fat and not wanting to spend money (especially when I have a roof to pay for), but on the other hand, I can indulge myself once in a while...

In other news, everything but the bathroom mirror is back, I went through of Mom's stuff in the living room (today would have been her birthday), and cleaned up half the paper pile on the bedroom floor.  Progress, sort of...

Entertainments

 After last night's Bryan Shaw implosion, we were treated to the Nick Wittgren implosion...how wonderful!  I would say, for the first reliever, the issue is that he is simply not a top-level reliever anymore; he's just another guy.  Now, there is nothing wrong with this -- he is still an MLB player, for Christ's sake -- but for the Tribe to keep running him out there in high-leverage situations... is just dumb.   As for Wittgren...I suspect he is just gassed (as is Shaw, to some extent). This could be me (and lots of others), but the modern game is hard on relievers; throwing more games and more innings -- at higher velocities -- isn't good, I suspect, for most arms.  Kyle Boddy said this while resigning from the Reds; we need to find ways to develop starters (who can pitch longer!) or else... 

In other news, the roof is completely done -- final checks (of every sense) completed.  Funny...I had to go into the attic for something, and it is covered in black pieces parts (the old underlay); all the hammering and rending and whatnot must have caused much of it to loosen.  So, on top of all the other cleaning to be done... there is that.  I don't know; just all these little things to do, but of course the only way to handle them is to do them, so...

I am getting a kick out of the Democrats and their inability to pass spending bills, though I do think it will happen; too much downside for it not to.  Much like the failure to repeal Obamacare on our side, if the party that controls the Presidency and Congress (albeit narrowly) can't get it done...  I was telling my coworkers about the old Will Rogers line, "I belong to no organized party, I am a Democrat," and some things never seem to die...

Crowning achievement

So, the roof is done (I guess); they started at about 8 and went til 6:30, which impressed the hell out of me.  They left a trailer-dumpster full of stuff, but I didn't see any nails or such in the yard (which is good); the sales rep and the foreman are coming in the next day or two to make a final inspection, as will the building inspector. As I told my sister, all that needs to be done is pay for it, which is -- barring some miracle -- going to be option football.  Not that I expected anything less, but we all know how I am about the benjamins.

One thing they told me to do -- and it didn't seem necessary -- was to take all of the pictures and mirrors and such off the walls; in doing so, I uncovered and brushed away some cobwebs.  Anyways, before I headed off to the gym for the nightly workout, I squashed this huge spider -- like an inch in diameter -- in the kitchen.  AS you can imagine, this brought about full-scale war on dustwebs tonight... and I vowed to fully eradicate dust and any grime ASAP (after, of course, I put humpty dumpty back together).  We will see if I do it...

I watched "Go Tigers" a couple of days ago; it's a documentary about Massillon football, which, as you know, is something of an obsession out there.  It's a bit old, of course, and some of the stuff that happened wouldn't fly now -- putting the QB back in after suffering a mild concussion, someone who did time for rape being allowed to play (he was recruited by JoePa, which made sense, snark) -- but a lot of it, I suspect, is unchanged now from then.  I don't think, on the whole, it is very healthy; I mean, it's good if you are a football player and in the milleu, but less so -- to put it mildly -- if you are not.

I finished Red Famine today, which looks at the deliberate famine created by Stalin in the Ukraine in the 30s, as well as its precedents and its historical legacy. Remembering the Morgenthau Plan for Germany in WW2, I think that it could (and should) be applied to Russia with equal vehemence.... I note that the next book on the shelf is a history of Nazi concentration camps.  Obviously, I will need some lighter fare for the next missive.

Catching up

 So, long but busy weekend, and here we are... supposedly the roof is taken off and replaced tomorrow; thus, tonight, I was on a frantic tear, pulling stuff off the walls (all the hammering might cause gravity to take effect) and doing a general house-cleaning just in case someone wants to come inside.  Very exciting.   I did note that I had yet to go through the left bit of stuff from Mom's (imagine that)...this on top of the idea -- which welled up last week -- that I need to de-crap again.  I lost my opera glasses for the Brown Jug, and whild going through every drawer and such I realized some of the stuff I don't need, some of the stuff I need elsewhere, and some of the stuff can be pitched or donated...  as I am so good on the basics as it is...

Is it me, or has the college football season been wild?  Clemson is 2-2.  Ohio State is 3-1.  Duke is 3-1.  Arkansas is 4-0.  Florida State is 0-4.  Clay Helton was fired; ok, not that wild, but...I guess if you thought he wasn't the choice, you do it...last year?  BC beat Missouri (bet they might start recruiting kids from Massachusetts now).  I could go on, but you get the picture.  Some of this parity, some of this is reversion to the mean, and some of this might just be coaching; OSU is.  Clemson?  Maybe; much as Urban Meyer struggled a bit post-Tebow, so to is Dabo post-Trevor.  This, I guess, happens.  In other news...hard to believe the Padres were eliminated from the postseason; remember when they were talking about them winning 100 games?

https://centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/articles/can-democrats-win-back-the-white-working-class/

I don't know; can't it be both?  Or, perhaps, once white working class voters realized that the Dems were not representing them, they adapted their viiews to meet those of the GOP?  I.e., if you realize that some of what you had believed in previously wasn;t working, obviously, the rest of it isn't working either...

Waking up

 So yesterday (Thursday) I went to the Little Brown Jug in Delaware...it was good to be back live at the races, honestly, and in some ways it was exactly the same --  many of our friends were there, we saw the same people, didn't win (that's not new), had my annual deep-fried twinkie.  Some ways it was not; not all of the people were there, some of the vendors and food trucks were not (looked a little sparse both inside and out)...and it was really cold; we couldn't remember the last time we had bad weather.  I mean, the rain stayed away 95% of the time, but the wind was a near constant, and the sun was non-existent.  I equivocated on bringing a winter coat and a hoodie, and I am glad in the end I brought both...

Today I took off and slept in a bit, then went and caught up on some errands; I also decided to cross off a place on the food list and his Old Brooklyn Cheese, down in Old Brooklyn.  These both make cheese and sell grilled cheese sandwiches, so... I bought a wine-infused gouda (which I will try in a couple of days) and ordered the Pearl Road; ham, turkey, cheese, and a berry spread; I went with the smoky tomato soup as well.  And it was...pretty good.  A bit heavy -- I am not a huge fan of grilled cheese, you know -- but the sandwich was good, and the soup was decent, too.  

I didn't fell well after lunch...not sure why, but I ended up taking a 30-minute nap at Aldi's before I went in for some shopping.  It seemed to help, but then I came home, felt tired again...had to take a zoom call at 2:30, and laid down right after...and woke up at 8:30.  Oi....I had plans for the day, and those were by the wayside...

https://www.19fortyfive.com/2021/09/why-so-many-historians-look-down-on-ulysses-s-grant/

Interesting read.

Catching Up

 I know, I know, all this time between posts...no real reason for it, aside from trying to get some reading done (started Applebaum's Red Famine yesterday), other stuff, and sleep...I was supposed to get some gym doubles in, but have not done so...thus, I have been sleeping in a bit, trying to catch up on rest.  It's been a bit more difficult lately; had some low blood sugar instances and I had to stay up untl that was settled.  Ugh.

https://www.outkick.com/nyc-blm-chapter-is-labeling-the-vaccine-mandates-as-racist/

This is awesome, and I think we, as Republicans, must do our duty -- pay our Fair Share, if you will -- to call out this obvious racism and thus call Democrats racists.  They also hate women, given how they have abandoned them in Afghanistan, and we also know how they feel about a free press, given how Joe Biden acts.

https://www.billjamesonline.com/swing_hard_maybe_youll_run_into_something/

Interesting; I hadn't thought of this like that.  Now, of course, I wonder if he accounting for shifting; it just wasn't done (even ten years ago) to the extent that it was done now... you can't go that far back, of course, but I would bet there are TV broadcasts of every game for probably four decades, and you can a glimpse of the issue....

https://www.si.com/mlb/2021/09/22/benches-clear-blue-jays-rays-ryan-borucki-hits-kevin-kiermaier

I always say that much as nothing gathers a crowd from so far so fast as a burning police car...the second fastest is an MLB beanball war.  This one, of course, is exceptionally petty even by MLB standards.  This could be me, but one, you probably shouldn't lose the card with all the pitching info.  That said, shouldn't both teams know by now what not to throw to a guy?  In this day and age teams have details and details upon even the most marginal of minor leaguers...  so I doubt anyone was surprised; it's not like this was Lee's lost order wrapped in the cigars.  And, of course...they threw at him anyways...

The thrill of the chase

 Eleven runs?  Two days in a role?  Off Gerrit Cole?  The Yankees?  Eli Morgan not getting shelled?  What the hell happened?  The team that has been no-hit four times this year?  Oi.  In the meantime, I missed this, because today I went down to Akron to see Shane Bieber pitch; I figured it was prolly cheaper to see him there than in C-town; I ever got the ticket package where you sit in the front row of the RF area and get free soft drinks...which was fine, aside from the sun and the fact that I had a time getting to see the ball.

But it was a good game; Bieber was on a pitch count, to the relief of the crowd, and while his first inning was rough, he was lights-out in frames 2 and 3 (not suer what all this means; if you were looking to see that he threw well, no hiccups, etc., I think it worked). Logan T. Allen -- the other lefty pitching prospect we have -- was quite impressive; went the final five, gave up but one unearned run.  More importantly, his stuff looked good; when he missed, it was just a bit outside and low, and he seemed to confuse the Somerset hitters.  Yes, it's AA ball, but it is a good team, so...it might play at a higher level.  And, the Rubber Ducks won and made the playoffs (probably good for development overall).  I got some sun and met many other fans who HATE the Guardians name and logo and intend to boycott the team next year.  All good.

https://ryanavent.substack.com/p/two-quick-thoughts-about-amazon

Yes, this is largely correct, but 1) The small businesses affected by this decision might not have the ability to raise wages as rapidly as Amazon, so we need to look at the fact that they may also be driving their competitors out of business.  There is also 2), which is that inflation/price hikes are always more immediate than corresponding gains in wages for workers (especially salaried ones), so...I think it affects people more than the authors are willing to let on.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/why-isnt-it-a-lie-when-joe-biden-says-something-false-or-dishonest/ar-AAOvToD?li=BBnb7Kz

Because Democrats, that's why!

Amusements

 So...originally I had went to bed early with plans to blog in the AM, but now my blood sugar is low (intensive leg night at the gym) and I can't sleep anyways, so here I am.  Interesting news tonight...Anthony Gonzalez is not running for re-election.  Hm. Could be the official reason; maybe he is just tired of the shitshow; I mean, he didn't put his hat in the ring for the Portman seat.  Did the thought of running against Trump in a primary dull the ardor? Did the polling show he couldn't beat Max Miller (who seems both laxbro and douchecanoe simultaneously and independently, quite the feat)?  Odd.  Very odd.

The other thing that amuses me, as you can imagine, is the kerfuffle out of Hudson... I guess I always though Hudson was too affluent to have a culture war; living there, you make enough that you don't care what people think of you and how you live...but I wrong?  Maybe not; I mean, the mayor and concerned citizens spouted off, the book was pulled, and now people are pointing out it was around for five years.  This surprises me not; I mean, how many of us had our parents check our homework in high school? My parents had stopped long before (for a bunch of reasons).  Anyways, I suspect that some other reason -- generous teacher raises, GOPers deciding to run for the school board -- brought this about, and now, of course, everyone is enjoying this.

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2021/10/prehistoric-america-atlantis/619819/?utm_source=msn

As we all know, I love history, especially stuff like that.  I don't quite understand why historians have to be so dogmatic about this; it's certainly possible that early North American settlers took both paths through the Americas, following food sources as they went.  I would think that the settlement story is enriched by having both groups making progress in this brave new world, but I guess I have no dog in the fight...

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/09/young-men-college-decline-gender-gap-higher-education/620066/

Oh, I don't know, isn't this a good thing?  Men going where they are welcomed and maybe doing something that doesn't involve a degree and makes a shitload of cash?  More or less seriously, I think GOPers need to take advantage of this; being that we are minorities, we need to push for affimative action, to say nothing of the steps needed to dismantle the matriarchy that dominates college life..men's centers, special programming, and of course funding for a whole range of initiatives; I can't wait for the first men's studies degrees to be issued...

Disappointment

 So, I met a friend for dinner yesterday...we picked BW3 for want of a better place (I am not a huge wings fan).  Not very crowded, though whether that was football or something else, like the pandemic.  Anyways, I used to love their nachos, so I ordered them, and...I was disappointed.  Used to be a heaping plate, with chunks of chicken and veggies; now, not so much.  Chicken chunks, only tomatoes, and the chips were different (and not as good)... I know times are a changing, but...

https://thefederalist.com/2021/09/10/theres-a-reason-dc-democrats-are-always-winning-even-when-they-lose/

Quite true, I am sad to say...I mean, when do we ever have a GOPer go around and cut something?  Get rid of programs, cabinet agencies, spending?  Never.  I can see why people get depressed and call out RINOs (not that they shouldn't be called out) because it never really changes; at least with Trump you saw some regulations gone.  But when it came time for something like Obamacare...I think that is why people on the right turned on McCain; not that he was ever one of them in general, but that was the last straw.

It's been so nice and warm that one tends to forget it is mid-September; the kids are back in school, the days are shorter, that sort of thing.  I note that I skipped my usual spring bromide about a summer romance that year, and I am not sorry I did, not that the result would have been different if I had insisted on one...

Recollect

 Didn't watch any of the Browns; watched some of the Tribe.  When Ryan Lavarnaway is all that stands between you and not being no-hit two days in a row... and yes, changing the name is exactly what this team needs. I was reading on baseballthinkfactory one of the game threads and someone pointed out -- truthfully -- that for all of the talk of the NL West. the Brewers are the feel good story of the year; not that anyone saw them coming but all of the sudden they have an excellent pitching staff (aside from facing the Tribe) and they can hit (even when not facing Tribe pitching). Then, of course, we have our team...  oi.  

So, I was poking around online, and someone I went to high school passed away; I was sort of friends with him back them, didn;t really stay in touch (save for the occasional FB missive), and now...gone.  It didn't take long to figure out that it is probably addiction-related, which doesn't make it less sad but reminds me, once again, of why I eschew those sorts of things.  Alas, though; I always liked the guy, maybe I should have stayed in touch...

I Marie Kondo'ed my saved passwords and the email folder.  This might be unwise...  Funny; I still need to go through the last of the stuff we rescued from Mom's; oddly, I seem to be in no hurry for that.  I also went through the pile of links and finished reading Hanson's The Second World Wars.  This was an achievement, though when I look at the eight page (double column) list of books to read....sigh....

Lazy Saturday

 Is it me, or is Ohio State not even trying to play defense?  I don't know... I mean, the coaching staff isn't adjusting, the defense isn't looking very inspired, and the pressure has been minimal.  I watch less and less football every year, so if I can see these things...

Slept in this morning; not sure I should keep doing this, but I probably did need the sleep -- crashed at 11, woke up at 2ish, bathroom, and then back to bed.  I guess it was nice...need the rest.

Since I had the morning off for a change, I took advantage of it and watched "Sweet Sweetback's BadAsssssssssssss Song," which was...interesting.  Blaxploitation film from the early 70s, somewhat subversive.  Interesting tale.. I liked it, though it was a little...long.  Lots of montage and whatnot, all of which could have been cut.  Anyways, I am now up to 761 on the NFR list...not much readily available, but I will try keep trying...

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2021/09/carry-nation-biography-reasons-for-activism.html?utm_source=pocket-newtab

Interesting; I knew some of this about her, learned some more.  I do tend to fall on the lines of people like her; I do think we undercount the social costs of any addiction, and, if you think about it, she called for the strict punishment of those who supplied such substances to the community.

https://amgreatness.com/2021/09/04/adults-progress-and-disaster/

Bookmarked this before; I think it is quite good...

Sense and a lack of sensibility

 So, the Behemoth needs new brakes.  Grr.  I mean, it happens, I can deal with it, I can afford it, and once installed, it'll be a while before I need new ones.  On the other hand, I hate spending money (as we all know), and especially now, when I have a roof to replace, a tree to cut down, and God knows what else.  And prices for everything (including brakes and related parts) are going up.  Sigh.

https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/idiocracy-oral-history-mike-judge?utm_source=pocket-newtab

This is pretty interesting; I would have liked to have read more, actually.  I loved the movie, of course -- it did appeal to my sense of humor, and they are correct, it appeals to both sides of the political equation.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/the-memo-attacks-on-democracy-seep-down-to-school-boards-election-offices/ar-AAO6h7Q?li=BB141NW3

 I don't know; this has been a liberal tactic for a while now; packing meetings with supporters, fake outrage, going to school superintendents' offices (a favorite of the teachers' unions), running for office, even... so why this is an attack on democracy, compared to those efforts, is a wonder to me.  And, of course, no one ever questions any reporter about that.

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2021/10/new-puritans-mob-justice-canceled/619818/

I thought this was an awesome tale, aside from the fact that...she didn't criticize them cancellers enough?  I mean, it's as if she realizes the problem, but doesn't want to go out there and say "enough is enough" and that this is a threat to free thought?  I guess she lets others make that point, but considering all the other things the Atlantic editorializes about, I am not sure why this got past...

This is the fourth time this year the Tribe has been no-hit through six. I realize we are playing the youngsters and they will struggle, but at the end of the day, something needs to be changed, if only for the sake of recognizing failure.

Vast Bemusement

 So here I am, blogging after a busy weekend and a full Monday; caught up on some work, caught up on some work around the house, took the last load of stuff from the hovel (sale may go through tomorrow), met a friend who was having some personal issues.  Tonight another friend came over to discuss the perturbations of his life (I always say it is a bad thing when I am the friend of last resort for advice) but I guess it is good they come to me rather than someone else, like Jack Daniels.  Anyways, I got to watch Civale pitch (I thought it went well) and then off to the gym for a double, and much needed.  I've been snacking less and exercising more -- even if it is just pacing around the house -- and I weighed in at just under 193; 13 to go and I will be content.

Fruit has been really expensive, so I bought a watermelon a couple of days ago -- $5 -- and cut it up.  It's really quite good!  I mean, I like watermelon, but this was is just sweet enough that you want to go back for more.  I intend to get several portions out of it, but I do need to remind myself that I am a diabetic and I have to lose 13 pounds...I remember reading about Irvin McDowell (don't ask) that once -- after eating an enormous meal as it was -- he polished off an entire watermelon and pronounced it "monstrously fine."  I can see how!

https://www.nationalreview.com/2019/01/cultural-icons-popular-today-unknown-tomorrow/

I dummied into this from another article; a while back I blogged about how no listens to ragtime anymore, and this is in a similar vein.  Now, maybe I just love the archaic -- history, ragtime, silent films -- but while this is probably fine, it's also a bit sad, as someone should appreciate all of this history and culture that went before us.  On the other hand, in 100 years, will people listen to, or even remember, Justin Bieber?

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/how-the-texas-anti-abortion-movement-helped-enact-a-near-complete-ban/ar-AAO80FZ?li=BBnb7Kz

Again, I have said this before, but if we learn from the left, adopt their methods, and put them into practice, at no point do they ever say "Gee, we reaped what we sowed," or "Maybe we went too far there;" no, they just bitch louder. Long may this continue!

https://awfulannouncing.com/high-school/exclusive-former-ohsaa-investigator-shares-frustrations-that-schools-ignored-his-warnings-about-bishop-sycamore-red-flags.html

I am still getting a kick out of stories like this; again, I need not remind everyone that these are Catholic schools who were among the biggest perpetrators of this scam...

The Calm Before the Storm

 A brief calm; Thursday I watched tOSU game with the boys (remotely); while I am not a huge football fan, part of the group and all that.  Yesterday I had a date of sorts; met a lovely young thing for coffee (she is a recovering alcoholic; I really know how to pick them) but it was nice, at least nice enough.  In the meantime, I have some time to post, so here we go...

https://apnews.com/article/business-health-coronavirus-pandemic-3157002e9d011e5283f55886b1c7078a

This is...good?  I mean, people always complain it's hard to get community involvement in anything, and now they have it, but it's the wrong kind...  funny; one of my coworkers was telling me that a former coworker is running for the school board in her hometown.  Said candidate is a Republican and home schools her kids.  I was like...so?  She and the husband pay taxes, don't they have a right to decide what goes on?  

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/in-texas-abortion-law-conservatives-adopted-the-progressive-playbook-%E2%80%94-and-used-it-against-them/ar-AAO3SBI?li=BBnb7Kz

Hahaha; as I said at the office, maybe the GOP has...evolved on this here?  You can't blame us for taking a page from their book and using it, can you? I mean, you can, but then they'd be hypocrites... I mean, it's like the people who gave us "My body, my choice" mandating COVID vaccines.

Thoughts

 The Tribe broadcasters were talking about Ervin Santana and how he basically fell off the map...and you know what, they're right; I forgot about him, for sure, and he was a decent pitcher for a while...

Talking to a friend today, and he pointed out that (I noticed it too) most of the schools that were on the Bishop Sycamore schedule were "fellow" Catholic schools... we both got a kick out of that, but he noted that for all of the talk about faith, morals, values... the fact of the matter is that they, too, were in on the scam (they had to know something was amiss, especially as the public schools seem to have noticed this) but did nothing, just collecting the W for....what?  A payout?  As he noted, this is the sort of thing that pisses people off about the Church, and it's the type of people (like us) who actually go to Mass, partake of the Sacraments, work at the festivals, and cut the checks.  Something tells me the Bishop will be right on this.

https://www.persuasion.community/p/the-afghanistan-war-was-a-partial

Interesting take, and I think correct, but....the problem is now all of this is gone, or soon will be, so in that way, it was a failure...civilization, to take a view from C.S. Lewis and Heinlen, is something that is achieved with difficulty and laboriously maintained, and to throw it all away...