Field Trip

 I woke up bright and early today -- 5:15!  Joy!  No, I tried to go back to bed, failed, and decided to start the day... I don't have any plans tomorrow (or, obviously, any other day) so in theory I can sleep in.  Of course, I think we all know I pop up at 7 or something.  I mean, I am a morning person, and I can get stuff done, but I still need to sleep once in a while.  I suspect my internal stresses are manifesting themselves in this matter more than anything, and either I will have to get a handle on it... or, of course, get a job again.

Since I have so much free time now, I decided to start one of the projects I have been meaning to do for a while -- see all of the other food pantries of the SVDP in the Diocese.  Thus, this morning I visited our Brookside pantry at Pearl and Archwood, on the West Side.  It was quite revealing!  They are open three days a week, and people can come twice, and they have a different operational method than us; people come inside and can get a box of canned goods, or "shop;" canned goods and such are arranged on a shelf and people have a choice of them.  They also can get other stuff -- milk, meat, bread, etc. -- as available.  Overall, I would say they get half the canned goods our clients get, and about the same amount of the rest of the stuff; bit less meat, not so much produce, but...it's close.  As they are open three days a week, their average count per day is about 30-40 (getting 120 a week, which is about what we have a week).  It was interesting; most of the people were nice, some were not, and they were kicked out -- they kicked out more people today than I have in 18 years at the OC.  The pace was a bit slow, as everyone had to pick out what they wanted -- such a thing would NOT be allowed at the OC.  They also serve people very tightly by area; they literally have a book listing ALL of the streets they serve.  People coming from the wrong area are served once and then referred elsewhere; if they return...nada.  (We always give produce out at least.)  I will send out a report to the OC Board tomorrow, which, I am sure, few will read.  

Five Reasons Why Democrats Should Focus Obsessively on Working Class Voters (liberalpatriot.com)
Interesting; not sure I fully agree with all of it, but... let's hope they do not.

Conservative Supreme Court returns to form in final two-day spree - POLITICO
Two more wonderful decisions today; and this is indeed correct -- John Roberts was masterful in his leadership and rationale today and this term.  Honestly, while I can understand the arguments in the cake case... well, as one friend noted, you have to be pretty lazy and stupid NOT to find a cake baker who doesn't support one cause or another... to which we all replied in grouptext that pretty lazy and stupid is the basic operational level of the average (if you will) Hope and Changer, so...

A new beginning

I would not say that I slept much better yesterday, but...at least I didn't get up three times in the night to toss and turn, which counts as progress, I guess.  

Only one job application today, but I did a couple of skill assessments and that sort of thing, so.... we will be at it again tomorrow in force.  Today I tried to clear up the detritus of the last career -- final prescriptions, reimbursements, that sort of thing.  I also decided -- to get out of the house -- to help out at the food pantry with the Thursday deliveries and food rescues.  Now, we are closed this weekend, so there was no large delivery -- just a couple of pickups from local stores (frozen meat, bread, miscellaneous stuff), weighing them, and putting them away.  It was mentioned that I hadn't really ordered anything from the GCFB, or knew how to input the food rescues to the GCFB website, so right after lunch, I and a couple of other volunteers met and our operations manager showed us what to do.  I think I have a good handle, but it is the sort of thing mastered by doing, so... I will undertake that duty (part-time) over the next few weeks.  In the meantime, we will have a large order next week -- and pickups -- so I will probably go back then and do my fair share.  It is a good workout, to say the least.

I was more than a little fascinated by the reaction to the SCOTUS ruling.  Mainly...for all the talk about how it will destroy diversity, people and schools were already discussing ways around it, such as by requiring essays and considering "other factors."  While I suspect the decision will allow white and Asian students to engage in more lawsuits (especially as part of document dumps, or, God forbid, someone is on tape), at the end of the day I don't think a lot of people will be affected.  And, for all the jokes (even I have made them) about Roberts and his RINOism, he did have a most impressive majority opinion.

Personal Tumult

 Operation job search continues; I am now at triple digits on applications, which I guess is good.  As I told my one friend, my full-time job now is finding a full-time job, so... time to get to work.  Maybe in a couple of weeks we will try something else, but for now... so be it.

Sad news about Peter's Market -- closing after all those years.  To be sure... they are correct; they are really only busy during the holidays (when else did we go?) and I cannot imagine a business plan like that.  The pierogis will live on, which is good.  But... I always liked their kielbasa, and the idea of another Polish business closing... sort of sad.  

Today was... odd.  I went to bed about 11:30 yesterday -- a decent time, as I felt tired and was at a natural stopping point.  I would have thought I would have slept like a log, but instead... I woke up at 2:45, 4, 5, and finally at 6:15 I said the hell with it and started my day.  I was thus a bit sluggish the rest of the day...  oi.  I did do a gym double -- no cardio in the second session due to low blood sugar, but it was good to go twice and get some exercise.  I also walked to the drug store for a prescription.  The haze this morning was... impressive.  I don't think I have seen the skies like this.  Course, I took a mile stroll in it this morning, but what do I have to live for?

I was fascinated by the Ron DeSantis interview where he talked about cutting federal departments -- Education is fine, but Commerce?  The IRS is of course red meat, but... honestly, one never hears ANY Republican talking about the government programs they will actually get rid of.  I would rather one of them win the election and then start the cutting, but this is good... now the man just to has win the primary, which -- sadly -- I do not see at this time.

I was equally fascinated by the McCarthy comments about Trump -- I would think pointing out that he might have trouble in the general is a fair commentary -- and then the reaction and the blowback from the Trump camp.  Of course, it's equally fair to say that Trump could take him out as speaker, but I suspect that only he wants that; Jim Jordan seems to be suspiciously quiet about this...

A Day of Achievement, I Think

Funny; today was fairly busy, even though it didn't seen like I did anything.  Woke up and the first thing I handled were a bunch of emails from unemployment.  I am quite sure that 90% of what they asked for was answered by me in the first round of application, but, well, I have nothing else to do, so I answered everything again.  I tried to add my resume to the state jobs database.  It seems to be the only one that does not allow for an autofill, and, even worse, once I had finished everything... I got an error message saying that it couldn't upload my data.  Oi.  

Anyways, there was no time to waste, as by then it was time to head back to the dentist to reattach the semi-permanent cap, which as we remember fell off on my birthday.  (I couldn't help but think that a few weeks ago turning 45 and losing a fake tooth were the worst things that could happen to me...those were the days.)  It went as swimmingly as things usually do... for one, I arrived early for my 11 appointment, and they didn't take me until...almost noon.  I thought about leaving, but 1) I wanted it done and 2) God knows when I would get another one.  Plus, I finished my book (37), so... Anyways, once they did see me, they were of course surprised that it fell off, and told me it was my fault, as I didn't have any crown lengthening done when I had the root canal.  I pointed out that it may be true, but...a five-year seal shouldn't fall apart in a month.  They did re-attach the thing (for now) and so far so good.  I made an Aldi run, and a Marc's run (the principle of shopping in low-tax Summit County) and then home, where I caught up with all of the emails and such that happened while I was out of the house.  I think I nodded off in the chair, too.  Alas.  But at 5:30 I noted that I had finally gotten through the stuff that popped up today.  Oi.  Now, of course, previously neglected matters!

One thing I did tonight was to live-listen to a Zoom meeting by National SVDP about attracting and retaining new members.  Normally (these things to be on in the evening, when I am hitting the gym and during J!) I listen to these things during the workday, but as that is not an option right now, we went to plan B, so I Tivo'd J! and listened live.  And... I am glad I did!  I tend to zone in and out during these things, but because I could give it my full attention, I learned a bit more than usual, and even picked up some ideas for the East District and the OC...not really sure if they will take them to heart, but...

Conservatives Shouldn't Support Expanding Federal Power | National Review
I don't know; I largely agree with this, but there is something to be said that if and when something or someone gets out of hand, it is the job of the government to smack them down, if you will.  I don't necessarily think of this as a liberal or conservative thing; it can be applied equally to the left or the right.  Now, I think he is right that liberals will eventually go crazy with it, but the solution for conservatives, is, of course -- if and when we are in charge -- to strip away those mechanisms of government that allow it to happen in the first place.

Opinion | Why I’m Not a Liberal Catholic - The New York Times (nytimes.com)
Interesting, as always, and I think....quite correct.  Course, I would say you could remove the "Catholic" from the piece and the answer would be the same.

Anti-abortion activists refocus work, fight to sway public to their side (msn.com)
Interesting.  I think this whole state-by-state thing can work, in part, at least; I mean, there are states where it will never take hold, but there are plenty of states (say, flyover country) where GOPers and people of faith can put together a winning coalition to severely restrict, if not outright ban, this abhorrent practice.  To be sure, we need to do more to promote life, but, as I like to say, anyone who thinks that the Church does not do this already is simply incredibly ignorant of the facts.  Given that most of the people who say this are liberals...well, we can simply elide "of the facts" from the previous sentence and it works just as well.

An Equal Reaction

 Odd day; I slept in a bit (no reason to wake up), and honestly, I was up til 1, looking for work, so... I guess it was ok.  Anyways, I was not up for that long before one of my conference presidents called me (returning my call) to discuss SVDP stuff, so I had to handle that, taking copious notes and getting MORE action items ready for tomorrow.  Then I applied for unemployment (sigh) and started looking for work again.  Applications up to 74, with four rejections and two follow-ups with video interviews, which is...fine, I guess.  I mean, we will see.  In the meantime, tomorrow will be more of the same... eventually the pace will slow, sadly, but... we will keep trying.  I guess I am more concerned about the rejection rate -- I know it will be high, and I know these things take time, but I would prefer to get some more positive feedback, if you will.

The story from Russia continues to fascinate me, mainly because... what was the endgame?  I guess I come from the "If you come to kill the king, you best not miss" school, and if the guy didn't go through with it... well, that is not ideal.  I know I was not there, but if he thought he had even a smidgen of a chance, he should have taken it, as Putin does not let his enemies live for long.  I do not necessarily buy the Putin is weakened theme, as that which does not kill us makes us stronger, and, plus, if there was a force that could take Moscow (or at least try to), this was it.  Alas.  Or, if there had been fighting, it would been prolonged, which would have weakened the Russian army and bailed out the Ukrainians....but no.

Opinion | The Legal Foundation of Women’s Sports Is Under Fire - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

Interesting...one, such a thought is even published in the NYT.  But...reading this, could they be publishing a warning?  I can see this happening -- maybe not some liberal judge (though you never know) as they would invent some rationale to protect from this, but I could easily see some conservative judges (read, Alito) somewhere -- with the legal equivalent of trolling -- saying "Yes, it is completely unconstitutional to keep men from competing in women's sports" and then you will see an inundation of men claiming to be women and winning medals and such.  I will of course laugh in such a case..

The New Reality

 Today was...well, mainly what I did today was search for jobs online -- linkedin truly is wonderful in that way, though I hit a few other sites.  Guess I am glad I never blocked all the job emails from my last search!  Anyways, today's count was 54, which... my sister thinks I am crazy and need to settle down.  Probably true.  But I think we all know I am not wired that way, I don't want to be sitting around and being unproductive, and I recall how long it took to find the last job -- when I HAD a job.  No such luxuries now, so... off we go.  I took a break for Endeavour (quite good) and here I am now... where I applied to a few more.  

My sister came to Mass today and we went out for breakfast, where we discussed my new reality.  She has been down this path before, so I do appreciate her insights, even if I am not so relaxed about things, to put it mildly.  To be sure, some of my suggestions were a bit extreme/premature, but... at least she gave me a pathway on what to do going forward, and it was good to simply get together.  

Yesterday I had food pantry duty and we were surprisingly busy; we had big crowds the first two weeks, and we thought that would be it, but... nope, 99; close to a record month, as we had just under 500.  Nearly a third of the clients who arrived had already been there, and while we are not supposed to help them, we did give them a bag of produce.  To be sure, as we are closed next week, we were under orders to NOT leave any produce behind, and we did not; everything went, as did the bread.  I was fine with this -- people got something, it games the count a bit, and I will hear no complaints about produce causing a mess -- but of course people now expect it all the time.  The rain held off so we put the clothing racks out, and did a brisk business as well.  So that was good... We were glad to help, but we couldn't help but note that our costs are going up, deliveries are not, and the crowds are...not shrinking.

A Serious, Unfortunate Event

So....I was laid off today, part of a company-wide culling; it appears they cut about a third of the staff, including, sadly, myself.  There was a severance package, and I guess I can apply for unemployment, but... it is not fun.  I don't like being unemployed and unproductive, for one.  Two, I really liked this job -- treated well, decent pay, good people, liked the work.  Three... well, it certainly took me a long time to find this one, and I had a job at the time, so I cannot imagine being without one.  Four, I did have plans (I know, life is what happens while you are making plans), like paying down bills and doing some delayed renovations.  Five, there are insurance and other considerations; I will have to reduce expenses (several noted I am not exactly extravagant, to put it charitably).  Funny; I had planned on trying a place in Akron, but that has been cancelled, as is all other restaurant tourism (or other fun) for the immediate duration.  Six, I had been saving money, was planning on using that for debt reduction, but now... yes, we will have to see about unemployment, but...

I guess we can look at the positives -- more time for Church and SVDP stuff, more time to read, and I was able to immediately update the resume and cover letter (both done before J!; the news came about noon here), which, in turn, meant that I could start looking for my next forever career ASAP.   Sent out 10 applications already (Linkedin is wonderful, is it not?) and will continue to do so the rest of the weekend.  I guess we also have time for closet cleaning, going through stuff, and maybe putting some items on Facebook Marketplace; my sister has had good luck with petty cash-type returns, which I will consider to be a win, in many ways.  Sigh.  No more trips to New Mexico, so I can do my share for carbon emission reduction, too.  

Putin in crisis: Wagner chief Prigozhin declares war on Russian military leadership, says ‘we will destroy everything’ – POLITICO

This is....interesting.  I don't think anyone really believes that Putin is ready to go down in a coup, or that this guy can replace him.  On the other hand, no one is going to complain if one group of Russians starts killing another group of Russians (and vice versa).  So...what is the end game?  A coup?  An end to the war?  A big pile of money to go away?  Most odd.  Long may it continue, as I like to say...

The Illusion of Actual Progress

 Well, I finally cleaned the upstairs bathroom today, wiping down the sink, the countertops, in and around the toilet, and the floor.  Rah.  Not too hard or long, of course, once I actually went and did it.  Sigh.  I would not say that I achieved anything, but.... I guess I did.  And, of course, if I do a couple more things tomorrow or the weekend...

Today I took my two boxes of clothes to Plato's Closet in Strongsville (on my way to pay my mortgage) and....they took exactly two items.  Two.  I should have known this going in, but.... oi.  I mean, I got six bucks and change for the two things I did lose, but the rest... well, I think I will just bag them and drop them in one of those bins you see.  Alas.  My plan for a mini windfall and an extra hunk of change on the mortgage payment was cruelly dashed, though I do like the idea of bill payment day.  It's not quite the illusion of progress -- it is going down, it will be paid off eventually -- but there is still a ways to go.  One thing in which there was the illusion of progress was work -- not much hard data on the project, so I will have to go and make some estimates and calculations.  Yes. this is my job, but... I guess I just wish there was something more tangible to base things on.  

Continuing the illusion of progress theme, I went to Vero Pizza Napoleona (it's on my food list) in the PSRCH for dinner.  It was... good?  I mean, yes, the pizza was good.  But... for $25 (pizza and tip), it was...a bit small.  And, of course, you have to go to the PSRCH (East Side driving never fails to amaze), find parking (for the Behemoth, no less!), and of course Lord knows what element you will find there.  Anyways, I went with the Margherita pizza and it was delicious; the sauce is pretty solid and while it was a bit thin, the toppings were solid and the crush was just right -- not too doughty, cooked properly.  Not that one should find oneself, unless one has the hobbies of crime or sodomy, but if you are there...you could do worse.

One downside of bathroom cleaning:  now I refuse to use it, even to the point of diverticulitis.  Alas.

I am still a little fascinated by the SFA bowling team scandal (who doesn't love a train wreck?) and the Titan probe; the whole game system controller thing seems a little... risky, don't you think?  Not that it isn't a tragedy, of course, but my sense of adventure is just not that developed.

The Double Take

 I went to bed promptly at 11 last night, which was followed by my not sleeping and then waking up in the middle of the night with low blood sugar.  Sigh.  Top it off, I woke up and m back was sore and tight, as it has been all day.  Oi.  But, I did hit the gym twice (only one cardio though) and finished the book I was reading -- 36 -- which was quite enough, I guess.  I also took an early lunch and cut the grass, to be followed by the weed-whacking tomorrow, I hope.  It does look better, or at least shorter; all the while I kept thinking that June is nearly over.  Summer is certainly fleeting.  It was my TV night -- new Dr. Pimple Popper -- so other chores were put off, which was probably a bad idea.  I did have a lot of little things to do for work -- received a new project yesterday which will require some research -- and, as odd as this sounds, it also tired me out; all those dead ends are somewhat deflating, honestly.

I hit the library after the gym this evening and picked up the book order; some of them are quite thick!  I joked with a friend that I was sabotaging my effort to read 50 books this year; I mean, I will still make it, but it will take a while to get through some of them, unless I really put some extra time into reading.  I did so this evening, making sure to read on commercial breaks and boring parts of the TV.  I definitely need to continue that, not that I will achieve some great progress, but I won't make any progress if I don't find a way to sneak a few pages in here and there.  

Federal Policy on Homelessness Becomes New Target of the Right - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

Interesting in that I see both approaches; yes, getting the homeless into homes is good, but if we are not actually getting them clean, sober, and employed -- as the article seems to imply that it is mixed -- then there are plenty of other people who deserve free housing, aren't there?  I guess, as always, we need a bit more housing built, but I can't see that happening anytime soon.  Sigh.

Rank

 I wouldn't say I felt great today, but I do feel better.  I slept in a bit. drank a bit more water, ate some more fruits and veggies... that sort of thing.  I am trying to get to bed early, or at least earlier than usual tonight, to see if that will help.  It really felt like summer today in that it was warm; certainly one could get a little sweaty if you were out or in the sun.  Summer goes by so quickly as it is, I should get out and enjoy it, or at least try to.

Funny; I have been telling people that my schedule is going to be less full now, but... it doesn't seem it so far.  I have a bunch of little things to do -- all of which require a spot of time -- and in the meantime I noticed that I have yet to return to the games closet in the spare room, and that the bathroom needs to be cleaned, as do the carpet, downstairs shower, and kitchen floor.  Mind you, I could do any of these things any time, but because I am lazy and undisciplined and have many other things to do (always true), I let it slide.  I was planning all of the errands today at the gym, but I should really do some of the same for the other stuff.  Hell, even just cutting the grass would be an improvement, damn the carbon emissions!

Is it me, or is the Hunter Biden deal probably what he would have gotten on the outside, if he were not a Biden?  I mean, maybe not; gun crimes are serious, as are the tax stuff, but no one seems to get nailed for lying on a government form.  Mind you, being the President's son -- and the general level of fucktardism that has ruled his life -- should merit some greater form of punishment.  I think it helps the GOP, as the whole things reeks of seedy behavior, and it would behoove the GOP to mention this at every opportunity; I think they will, but this is hunting dairy cattle in terms of simplicity, and we do muck up everything.

J.D. Vance, the Senate’s MAGA dealmaker | Semafor

Interesting read.   Certainly one would not get such an opinion from the Cleveland.com people, who seek to paint him as a MAGA enthusiast at every level, which, to be sure, is more true but not entirely so.  Quite frankly, I would think it is good for Senators on both sides to collaborate and get things done, even if they are just the basics.  Considering the hemhawing that goes into complaining about the lack of bipartisanship, it is good to see someone getting congratulated for it.

Recovery

 I have felt like crap all day.  Not sure why; could be a lack of sleep, too much heat and sun yesterday, not enough actual water, Democrats, all of the above.  Not only did I skip the gym today, but I even laid down after lunch and took a two-hour nap.  I think it helped, though, of course, I am now feeling it.  Yes, I made up the time after... I think I was one of the few people working today, of course.  Actually, Juneteenth is an awesome holiday, and considering it is one of Republican origin...well, we should definitely celebrate.  I am not saying we should go around and hit Democrats in the face with baseball bats, but... not that we need a reason to do, but today, given that we have one... ☺

How Republicans and Big Business Broke Up - WSJ

I don't necessarily think this is a bad thing; corporations are neither good nor bad, but when they -- like any other entity or person, ha -- pull crap, they deserve to be called out for it.  Quite frankly, I would think this is good politics, to call them out for social stands that might not be popular with the GOP base, excessive profits, that sort of thing.  Populism can win elections -- 2016 proved this, in part -- and I for one am pleased as punch that it is my party at the front of this.

The life and power of Casey DeSantis - The Washington Post

I read this twice, just because....well, one, it has garnered quite a bit of blowback in the right-leaning media, and also... well, what's the point?  Ambitious politician has an equally ambitious wife who he relies upon?  Casual observers of American politics should not exactly be surprised by this, and I find it hard to believe a WaPo reporter should be, either.  I think this is something that is...well, not exactly hurting the guy, all of these backdoor slams on him, his record, his wife...that sort of thing.  I don't know, but a young wife (and cancer survivor) with kids would be a tough target to hit during a campaign, and would actually draw sympathy -- and attention.  So, as I am fond of saying nowadays, long may it continue!

Events

 Long but good day!  I got in late last night, which didn't exactly help, but after Mass today I was on grill duty for the parish picnic.  It was largely fine; I think I spent a bit more time in the sun (instead of the shade) than I should have but otherwise it was fine; making burgers, brats, and hot dogs, running stuff downstairs, and then helping with cleanup.  I mean, it would be nice to just hang out, but on the other hand you do get to hear the latest news, gossip, and other parish doings.  Then it was off to the OC to take some canned goods there and deliver the leftovers to the Absolute House.  Then it was off to Edgewater to take Communion to a friend from Church.  Two things...one, it seemed everyone was at the park, and two... how the hell do you park around there?  There really isn't any parking on Edgewater or Lake, or the side streets... it is a nice area, but there is no way I would want to hang out there.

Anyways, then it was home, where I put a couple of hours of work in on the latest project; hell, I even finished it and sent the draft to my leadership team (I am sure they will appreciate the Sunday date on the email).  But it was worth it to get it done, or at least so they can review and I can handle it tomorrow, and, well, I prefer the idea of progress at work.  I had a bit of time to catch up on other stuff, and then it was time for... the season premiere of "Endeavour."  It was quite good -- not too far-fetched, like some of the usual plots of UK TV, and it went a long way in character development and such (they have only two more episodes to wrap these things up, so...).  I will the series when it is gone.  

So here we are now; a spot of emailing, and then... bed.  Need to get some gym doubles in this week, for sure!  I am 45 now, as I keep reminding myself.  Actually, I need to finish up the follow-ups from last week's email, figure out last month's Games contest puzzle -- the prospect of $100 is quite the motivator -- and do a host of other things.  Sigh.

Woodrow the Terrible, Warren the Good (substack.com)

Quite right across the board!

Wakies

 Funny; I wasn't feeling that well last night -- more exhaustion than anything else, I think -- so I laid on the bed while reading and doing some stuff.  As expected, I nodded off (prolly about 11) and woke up at 3.  I need to stop that, given the soon-to-soar electric rates.  I guess I needed the rest, but I had about 20 things to do -- and a busy weekend to not shove them in -- so I wanted to be more productive.  Alas.

I woke up bright and early today as I had food pantry duty -- shortage of volunteers, and I am East District President, so... it was largely fine.  Plenty of moonbats early, of course, and then a few came late.  We actually had a lot of bread and produce to give away, even if a lot of it was questionable...which of course begs the question of why it was taken in the first place.  Anyways, the count was 102, which -- unless attendance plummets next week -- should put us ahead for the month on our average.  Our Southwest center has seen 8% increases for the past two months, and while we are not there yet...on the other hand (as we discussed in the 10 seconds between clients), there are still plenty of jobs out there, and.... well, food is the last thing a lot of these people need.

Bob Huggins had a DUI?  I am shocked, shocked, I tell you!

Police called her hanging a suicide. Her mother vowed to find the truth. (startribune.com)

This story still blows my mind, and I just read it yesterday...if people actually believe this, and go through with this...they are idiots, and there is no small part of me that says they deserve whatever they get.

A Success, I Hope

 So, for all of my hem-hawing and worry.... the first (in a while) Cuyahoga East District Meeting of the SVDP went fairly well, if I do say so myself.  We had 21 people (I was surprised!) and all but one of the parishes made it.  I brought pizza, drinks, and chips; Downtown brought the prayer; and St. Monica supplied the locale (the parish pavilion) and dessert.  We went til 8 (started at 6), and broke up only because of the weather -- we could see the lightning and hear the thunder.  In consequence, we didn't get to all of the stuff on my agenda, but everyone met each other, we discussed our conferences and our work, and... well, I guess, to me, two nice things were: 

1)  Everyone got to meet each other -  a couple of people on the way out told me they didn't know we had a conference/members at parish X; and

2) By sharing our ministries and battle stories everyone realized that we were all on the same page -- high demand, need more volunteers, concerns about home visits, problem client management.  ALL of our conferences had these issues, and it was good to see people exchanging phone numbers, emails, notes, that sort of thing.  I mean, if someone has a good idea at ONE parish it's worth a shot elsewhere.

On the downside...well, I don't think Downtown will fire me, so my Mother's most earnest prayer went unanswered.  My sister, of course, was amused.

The rain was impressive.  I think we dodged the first round of storms -- tornado warnings to the south -- but the second went through an hour ago and brought us some rain and wind, which I guess we needed.  It didn't seem too heavy, though my open windows let in plenty of breeze.  

With Turning Point Faith, pastors use politics as a church-growth strategy (religionnews.com)

I don't know; for one, this is the Great Sort I keep hearing about, so I am not surprised that conservatives also want to go to church with like-minded people.  Liberals can attend Pride rallies and do whatever they do, and GOPers can go to church... so what?  That said, I also find it amusing that people are complaining about a church that is growing; considering what is happening to religious attendance in this country, one would think more pastors would start this (especially on the Protestant side) to get butts in the pews.

The Eye of the Hurricane

 I have a big meeting tomorrow, and while some -- much, even -- of the work is done, some of it is not, and I am strangely unconcerned about it.  Not sure why; some of it is of course because I will handle it tomorrow.  Some of it is in some ways beyond my control.  Hell, some of it I have not decided (shower decision).  But I am vaguely calm, and that is new and unsettling to me.  Could be age and maturity, or maybe I am thinking that the slow and subtle play here works best.  If tomorrow is a catastrophe... well, we will survive.

Planned on a gym double today, but after about noon... the blood sugar has been fairly low all day, even after persistent snacking (which necessitates the need for more gym doubles).  Very depressing.

So, I had a balance transfer offer from one of my credit card companies, and with the new car repair bill and some other stuff... well, I figured now is a good time to move it over.  I mean, it is, but... trying to get the company to take my money has been... a fascinating challenge.  I would argue that if they do not want people to take advantage of enticing offers they should not advertise them, but that's me.  Between the bum steer on the website advice, three calls to customer service, and a screencap of the offer in question... to say nothing of the meh call quality (why are mobile phones so crappy at being phones?)...oi.  I suspect it will be fine a week or two, but we all know how I feel about economy, in all of its incantations.

Patrick Deneen Book: The New Right’s Man in the Ivory Tower - POLITICO
This is fascinating; I moved the book up on the book list (I may read it by the end of the first DeSantis term now).  I think the man is on to something -- indeed, the tradition he described never went away, even if it was politically unpopular among academics.  One can argue (I would) that the Pride backlash is an outgrowth of this; people will tolerate some things, but that which is over the line (tuck bathing suits, trans people hawking America's formerly favorite beer) is going to get a clapback.  Funny thing is, even with the weight of elite opinion against them... it continues.  Hell, when Cracker Barrel and Garth Brooks may be taking hits from real America about this... color me impressed.  And, of course, long may it continue.

The Best Laid Plans...

 I am going to bed early tonight, or at least early-ish.  Not much sleep last night, and my blood sugar was low throughout much of the day, so I snacked more...sigh.  Definitely going to try for a gym double tomorrow!  On the other hand, going to bed early-ish means that some minor things will be left undone.  Sigh.  I have been working at going through things (links, files, emails) and while I am not exactly done, there has some steady progress...which is enough, I guess.

Should be warmer tomorrow...is it me, or was today rather cool?  I almost closed the windows (I rather like the breeze and the fresh air) but on the other hand, tomorrow will be fine.  The rain was nice, even if the day was somewhat...foreboding.  Maybe not that, but dank and dreary.  Not quite the summer vibe we have been used to.

'Simple but not simplistic': On the road with the Eucharistic Revival's test pilgrims (pillarcatholic.com)

This is pretty cool.  I would like to think I would have done it if I were younger (not that I couldn't volunteer now) but I suspect that I would not have.  Alas.  Quite frankly -- and maybe this is the spirit of Corpus Christi talking -- but with all that is going on in the world nowadays, we need more of this sort of thing from the Church.  For all the talk of buying Bud Light at Target, this is a refreshing and serious alternative. 

EXCLUSIVE: The DeSantis Plan To Wage War on ‘Weaponized’ DOJ | RealClearPolitics

Interesting.  Will it work in the primary?  I mean, it does tie into the "go after the people who took down Trump" mode (which could appeal to his supporters), it does appeal to the small government types, and who doesn't like to see less government anywhere?  On the other hand, it does not look good for a law and order party to attack the FBI, though there are many reasons to do so.  DeSantis can also point out that Trump could have done this at any time during his term, yet always failed to do so.  Let me pout it this way:  I hope it works in the primary, and hope it can be done, simply to send a signal....

Catastrophes

 I am not really supposed to be awake now, but the low blood sugar alarm went off, so here we are, waiting to see if it is stable (for now).  I was high before -- not sure why, better go over dinner again -- and maybe I took too much insulin to get it down?  I had thought I had used enough, but... obviously not.  Anyways, tonight was Pub Quiz, where Team XI took a well-fought but ultimately futile second, earning absolutely nothing.  The questions were not to my tea, but for those categories that were in the wheelhouse, I did not miss a one, so...phew.

More importantly was that I got my car back.  The last few days I had been hearing a clanking noise anytime I hit a bump or such.  I didn't like it, so I called the auto shop, and lo and behold, the left rear suspension was cracked, and one of the bolts was loose -- I was hearing it hit something.  Cause is age and the crappy weather (and the road salt).  Oh well.  $1300 and change later, the Behemoth is back.  Sigh.  Not fun -- not when the bathroom goal is closer to payoff fruition -- but it is cheaper than a new car.  I was rearranging my budget in my head on the way to the place, and I think I have it planned out.  For now, of course.

Is Kevin McCarthy just really that good at his job?  | The Hill

I wouldn't go that far -- yet -- but to me I think it is a sign that for all of the complaints about the guy -- not very bright, a tool of the Freedom caucus, couldn't govern the house -- he is actually doing something, and playing his hand fairly well.  (One must note that the protest in the House by the tool-mongering rightists ended -- for now -- today and House business will proceed.)  If I was being charitable, I would say he is...Bidenesque in his strengths and weaknesses?  To me, one of the signs of his leadership is that he is letting the various moonbats on the right have their moments, make a few concessions, and then welcome them back to the fold.  To be sure, the leaders on the right have been on his side, but again, a sign of his leadership that they work well (enough) together.  If Jim Jordan wanted him gone, he would be, but... I think Jordan also knows the score as well.  Anyways, I would argue that McCarthy is "holding serve" as best he can until the next Congress is seated.  Either he will have a GOP House, Senate, and President, and all bets are off, or he will have a Dem sweep, and the issue will be moot.

Corpus Christi

 Today was a good day!  It was Corpus Christi, one of my favorite events of the year, and it was -- as always -- wonderful.  The weather was beautiful, the altars excellently done, and the service itself was wonderful, even if once again I was gracefully requested to carry the speaker, although it was not too bad; not that heavy, and people who used the mike mostly got the hang of it.  It is a shame more people don't go, but... I guess it is the way of the world.  Funny; on the way to the gym this afternoon, I drove by St. Charles in Param, and they were having a little procession of their own... it is a fine Church tradition, so I can see how many others would join in.

I actually rested today, taking a three-hour nap after dinner.  I think I fell asleep to the rain, which I sort of welcomed, as it had been a while since we had it.  Funny; the day was beautiful for Mass and procession, but when I left the gym, it seemed that rain was in the air; just a feeling of heaviness and torpor in the atmosphere, the skies were slowly darkening, and the roads were a little emptier than usual.  Thus, when rains came... well, it was hardly a surprise, and in some ways... made it a bit cooler.  I had the windows open all day here, and it certainly moved some air around.  I need to do this more often!

(IHP) The History Of Internet Porn - Techmeme Ride Home - YouTube

This is actually...interesting.  Not exactly salacious, mind you; more of a look at the first efforts to put porn on the web and the staggering (well, maybe not) amount of content -- at least in the early days -- that was naughty by nature.  I guess I am not surprised, as -- at least in the early days -- it was something people were willing to pay for and the Internet is a business like another.

Exeunt Hiatus

 Long time no blog.... I have just been busy, and then to top it off, I have taken to crashing (hard) at night.  This is probably good, but... on the one hand, I need the rest, on the other, it is a sign that I am 45, and not a young man, and it is most depressing.  In the meantime, there has been a lot of news to digest.  The Trump indictment is of course yuge, though I am not sure what it portents; I mean, most politicians would have been dead and buried for doing half the shit he pulled, but he is truly the Teflon man.  I always say that after the Duke lax scandal, I tend to....keep my powder dry, or, to use another phrase, make sure the guy is guilty before we hang him.  So, while there may be an explanation for his actions... it doesn't look good.  Much like DeShaun Watson, it is the scope of the scandal that makes it difficult to refute.  Of course, those who wonder why Joe or Hunter are not facing charges are.... entirely correct.

How a Staunchly Blue State Let MAGA Seep In - POLITICO

This amused the hell out of me, as things often do, for a bunch of reasons.  I would argue that this -- like the staying power of the Bud Light/Target boycott, and other things (come to think of it, it started with the reverse boycott of CFA) is simply due to the fact that for a lot of people, things have gone too far -- the shutdowns, Drag Queen Story Hour, two genders -- and, worse, the idea that you should have the temerity to question the wisdom of these things brings out all sorts of charges -- bigotry, homophobia, etc.  People are beginning to realize that if you are going to be accused of these things, you may as well act the part.  I think it is lovely, because it is doing to the left what they have been doing for many years...

Jimmy Dimora is out of prison.  This is surprising, albeit not terribly so, and goes to my point above; maybe it is humanitarian and the right thing to do to let the guy out, but he was a corrupt official for many years and ran the county as a corrupt enterprise for his cronies.  Isn't this the guy you leave to rot in prison, pour encourager les autres (in the mots of Voltaire)?  If any GOPer in the county or state had any brains (and you know what I say) they would be all over this, but...crickets.

I also note -- with amusement -- that the PD is all over the new Cuyahoga County Executive for his management of the Child and Family Services scandal, especially after he called out negative press coverage.  Mind you, this is what happens with every Democrat the PD endorses; he acts like a typical Democrat -- corruption, waste of money, etc. -- and they raise a hissy fit about it, until the next election comes along and they get on their needs for that guy.  Again, one would think someone in the GOP would call them out about -- maybe even look into them for corruption as well, but...

Forty-five!

 So, today is my birthday, and I am... 45.  Very depressing.  I mean, it happens, and I do not like, but... we survived.  I did take the stairs to the fourth floor today when I had to drop something off --- mainly out of contempt for the aging process, but also because I am far.  I got a strawberries and cream cupcake from the local bakery as a treat to myself, and dined with my sister.  We had wanted to go to the new Filipino restaurant in Independence, but... it appears it is not open, or if it was, it has closed -- there is a website but the place was closed.  Alas.  Anyways, off we went to Omizu.  I had been there before for sushi, and today I sampled the cooked food, and it was...good.  Quite good, actually.  Plus we got to chat and such; we email and text often, but it is still good that we have a good relationship.  Many siblings do not...

Amusingly, my semi-permanent cap fell out today, right before noon.  I was finishing a cup of coffee, and, there it was... I was... well, par for the course.  Humorously, I got a text from them reminding me about a periodontal treatment in a couple of weeks, so when I called about that, I told them to cancel that (no more painful teeth for weeks) and to change it to this crisis.  They, of course, wanted both, and I was like no way.  As these are different dental procedures, one cannot simply rearrange a dental visit.  Sigh.  I also suspect they did not appreciate my comment about installing a metal cap that actually stays on...

I also -- in the hour between I got home and Dr. Pimple Popper (J! is on the Tivo) -- planned out a schedule for the big East District meeting.  I had sent a preliminary schedule to downtown with the proviso that this would also be my first East District meeting (ever!) and they seemed to like it, so... well, that will be the plan.  I hope I do not screw it up, as I do not want this to be the first and last East District meeting.

Not that I follow the golf scene, but I was a little surprised by the PGA-LIV merger.  My own take:  the Saudis were running out of money (sports leagues are expensive, oil prices are down) and the PGA offered them a deal (they were losing money and golfers, too).  And the Saudis, in a New York minute, took the deal... I don't blame them, to be sure, but now the PGA is getting flack.  I suspect they will be fine with that, in the Liberace-crying-all-the-way-to-the-bank way, as long as the band is getting back together...

Life happens

So, my plan to get to bed early -- I have been feeling quite tired and meh today, and am not sure if I feel a cold coming on or not -- has been dashed, as always, by life.  I watched the Tivo'ed episode of J! I had saved up (the misses on the Ohio Geography category were exceptionally egregious!), sent out a couple of food pantry texts, and... sat down at the laptop at 9.  I went through a bunch of emails, read some articles, answered some questions, handled some links...and here we are, at midnight.  Oi.  At least there was the illusion of productivity, as I like to say.  But...funny; at work it was much of the same today -- the usual Monday stuff, followed by going through stuff, reading articles, setting up a project, and in general clearing the decks for serious action.  May not seem like much, but...

Finished book 33 today as well -- Crosby's The Columbian Exchange.  I read a revised version, with a new forward by the author, but it was still... quite interesting.  He was one on the first to look at the colonization of the New World from an ecological/biological perspective, and while some of the stuff is... off, he was the first to be looking at it that way, so... anyways, quite interesting.  In addition to the look at disease, he also considered the animals brought to the New World -- hogs, cattle, horses, and sheep -- and how they soon spread; the crops of the New World that soon took over agriculture in the Old (corn, potatoes, beans, manioc, and tropical fruits); and, charmingly, syphilis -- probably from the New World, where, for once, a disease from there killed millions of Europeans.  Good stuff, not too long, and I love revisionist looks at things...

I like Mike Pence, but does anyone really see a lane for him in the GOP primary?  I know, anything can happen, but I would think -- especially after his performance on The View -- that Tim Scott would be a better choice, if one wants a non-Trump, upbeat candidate; he also has a number of advantages over Pence.  Again, I like the man, but... I am not seeing how he navigates the lanes here.

Excitement

 Long and busy weekend, which explains the radio silence.  Wedding this weekend...I was talking to a college friend this weekend, and she pointed out that after a while, every wedding is pretty much the same.  She is largely correct; to be sure, they're not -- they're important (we are Republicans around here), and it's good to see a man and a woman getting together (under God) and promising to raise a good Catholic family.  (It's also rare, and let's not discuss my own Hope and Changerism about this, but I digress.)  But...it's also a lot of stuff to do and be present for, and I have been dragging today.

I also did a stint running the food pantry, which was -- as expected -- a zoo.  (I was pinch-hitting for another comanager.)  The good:  we got rid of all the produce, we had plenty of volunteers, we moved lots of clothing (including shoes, which came from somewhere), rotated stuff, and served 147 people.  The bad:  well, not much, but our clients... I don't know; I realize they are Hope and Changers, but... we didn't have a lot of "extras," if you will, to give out.  Some bread and bakery, some pop, some milk. etc.  Certainly not enough for a free-for-all, which, of course, is what happens when you put them out.   I and the other volunteers went out and told them they could take one, and while most were decent about it... others, of course, needed multiple reminders.  As I told them, they've been coming here for years, they know the rules, we shouldn't have to tell them every time.  In some ways, we really should give out ONLY canned goods and NOT do the food rescues, since those are the things that bring in the stuff that causes the mayhem.

Also... as part of the need to collect demographic data (Hunger Network wants as much as we can), I asked about health insurance (we've handled race, employment, immigrant/refugee status), which was... mostly fine.  Some people didn't know, or gave answers that we had to guestimate.  If you are old enough, Medicare is your primary, and most others it is some form of Medicaid.  But it did add to the time and complexity of processing clients, and, given the zoo we had... oi.  

I watched some of the Nikki Haley town hall as background while reading, and... I was impressed?  Maybe not terribly so, and I always was impressed by her, but...  the GOP really does have a deep bench this year, and were it not for Trump...  Relatedly, was it me, or did all of the articles about the GOP cattle call have an element of "we are for Trump, but we are not sure he can win a general election"  I thought they did, and I was pleasantly surprised...electability is certainly a consideration for a voter, and I really don't think Trump polls all that well, which is a concern...

Bemusement

 Friend of mine, his wife has a Costco membership, and sometimes, I benefit from this, as she over-purchases and I get stuff -- sometimes in bulk, donated to the food pantry, other times, personally.  This past week I was given a 5-lb bag of spinach (I ate about 2/3 before it was starting to go, and off to the compost with the rest) and some organic peanut butter.  Spinach was fine, the other... ugh.  Oily and then bland, and didn't look/taste like any PB I ever hate (my friend was less charitable).  Give me processed foods any time...

Last night, of course, I did not blog; between TV night (Dr. Pimple Popper), catching up on a stored episode of J!, and finishing up part one of one my other projects...well, it was late and I was/am a sleepy boy.  Alas.  Today was quite the day; very busy, lots of meetings, new projects, company upheavals, and, to top it off, a barrage of (minor) food pantry and SVDP stuff.  I went "out" for lunch to Bakery 57 (a large coffee and a muffin was in order) and they rearranged their store, which was... equally unsettling, and as a change-resistant (to put it mildly) Republican, it was almost too much.

Ohio's new $100 million LGBTQ+ hub aims to create a community destination. Some are asking, ‘But at what cost?’ – The Buckeye Flame
This story amused the hell out of me (For the record, one of my former coworkers writes for them, he flagged it on linkedin, and as I smelled a trainwreck...).  One, of course, because everyone does love a trainwreck, and two... this story involves Armond Budish's son, and I could not tell if he was grossly incompetent or grievously corrupt.  Like father, like son, and, of course, as they are Hope and Changers, they are probably (and unsurprisingly) both.  To use my favorite phrase, if only we had a Republican state and legislator to crack down on this.  Hell, Armond Budish just got hired by CSU, and... well, given his record with the county, if any GOPer (say, Matt Dolan) with brains or political ambitions should be pointing out that if CSU has the money to afford this grifter, they don't need it from the state, and maybe we should do something Republican, like buzz-sawing their budget.

But then I got to thinking.  As we all know, our fine GOP apparatus is trying to pass a constitutional amendment to make it more difficult to amend the state constitution, in large part to preserve the abortion ban, and, well, just because.  I get this -- as an, not-Joe-Biden Catholic -- and I think that is a good idea, but playing loose and fast with the amendment process is... slimy, and this comes from a state with the Householder payola scandal not exactly buried in distant memory.  Let's face it; the GOP is basically saying we need to protect the state from the voters, and... well, if I am not exactly convinced by this, I can imagine what a more fair and balanced voter might do to it.

But... one way to actually present this idea would be to highlight the above story, right?  Here, you have a project in the bluest county in Ohio (benefitting, in theory, the LGBTers who are not part of our electoral coalition), driven by the son of the semi-disgraced county executive...and all it is doing is wasting money and screwing over the very people it was supposed to help?  The headlines literally write themselves, and the GOPers in charge should be highlighting this as to why we need this "reform;" namely, that the voters in places in Cuyahoga County are too stupid and corrupt to NOT get fleeced at any opportunity, and considering that these are the people who are voting on stuff... we need to protect you -- and your wallets -- from them.  

Now, I am not saying it is a winning argument, or even a good one, but 1) it's better than the truth and 2) one of the more useful things in politics (mastered by Donald Trump, of all people) is to attack people with the very same arguments they use against you.  Reminding everyone that the Democrats in Cuyahoga County are the ones against electoral "reform" because it will allow them to perpetrate scams like this might just convince people to swallow the pill and vote for the thing.  It should certainly be done as part of good political practice, but if there one thing a lifetime of Republicanism has taught me, it is that Republicans in Ohio (and elsewhere) seldom engage in good political practice.