Follow-Ups in Rapidity

Bit earlier than my usual blog time... mainly due to my trying something new!  I had an SVDP Presidents' quarterly meeting today, and while it was fine, I have a boatload of follow-up questions and emails to send.  I also had some food pantry stuff to do -- looking to join some groups that offer free/reduced price products -- so my plan was to first fill out those applications, then blog, then write follow-ups... which then I can use with other food pantry business.  I also need to figure out what I am bringing to next week's potluck at work.  I should just flip the recipe book in the air and see where it lands!  

More seriously, one downside of these meetings -- in addition to all of the follow-ups -- is that I hear about all of the other things going on in the other Districts and I am like "Why can't we do these things in my district?"  Now, to be sure, some of the stuff I have suggested and no one was interested, some of the stuff is resource-driven (my ratio of poor to wealthier parishes is craptastic), and most of my parishes don't have the volunteers to do the basics.  All of these are fine, but we all know how I love to pee on taller hydrants, if you will.  Hell, I need to re-visit (officially) all of my parishes, as I only did one site inspection last year.  Alas!

Biden balances Catholicism with hot-button 2024 issues (msn.com)
I really don't see any balance here, and I don't know of any actual Catholics who do so, either.  Of course, for a reporter, it's not like they know the difference, so...

Democrats Would Rather Not Talk About Fani Willis - NOTUS (Allbritton Journalism Institute)
Business Partners Of Fani Willis’ Alleged Lover Bankrolled Her Campaign. She Gave Them Lucrative Contracts. | The Daily Caller
This could be, but... didn't anyone -- at any time -- think that this would come out?  The affairs, the sleazy underhanded dealings, etc.?  Much as Donald Trump probably didn't suspect that everyone would be looking into his real estate empire, didn't Fani Willis think that maybe she should not do this, or pawn it off to some other agency?  Especially given the stakes here, being more pure than Caesar's wife might have been a wiser course.  Now the knives are out and I am sure that something will crack...

Catching Up

 So... I had a friend stay with me this weekend -- a mini-vacation for him, to clear his mind, get away from home (Houston), etc... it was mostly fine and fun; we did dinner at the conveyor belt sushi place, he slept quite a bit, we talked about his problems (I scrupulously avoided mine), and I think it was fine.  That said... my friend is a bit...clingy?  I mean, I needed to entertain him, or at least engage him, quite a bit.  I had food pantry duty this weekend (a zoo; I co-manage next month and it will NOT be such!) and he politely declined the opportunity to join me (ditto for Mass).  I did some adulting for a couple of hours each day to write emails and do SVDP stuff, but...  the rest was Steve time.  Again, this was fine, but there was little time for Matt stuff.  I asked a few friends how they handled stuff with kids, families, etc.; the overwhelming consensus, of course, was that they didn't!  Or, more appropriately, if I had a wife kids, etc., I would not have the time or "opportunity" to do all of the other things I do!  And yes, I could do less, but I am just not the type of person to sit around and ruminate, watch TV, etc., so at the end of the day, while I might do fewer of other things... I would still be active.  Maybe because I do three hundred things I do not need to take weekends off to mull mid-life crises?!

One other downside of this weekend of fun was that my cold seems to be back; more sniffles, frigidity, and my stomach is rumbly.  I don't want to say that I was healthy, but I was definitely feeling better.  Now I feel I am back to square one, and it is not fun.  I had planned on going to bed early yesterday, but Duke was on, and -- after the screaming catastrophe of Saturday (my friend was amused that I thought every call went against Duke, at Cameron, no less) -- Duke played...well, perhaps the best hoops they have played all year, and at a time when it was most needed -- a challenging road game against Virginia Tech -- it was glorious.  

I think I am getting older, and I can tell by the fact that I did some extra squats (as part of a gym double) yesterday, and today I am literally feeling it in my calves; I could barely get up this morning, and I have felt sore much of the rest of the day.  At least this soreness meant that I have spent much of the evening at my table, catching up on stuff and doing most of what was neglected this weekend.  I would not exactly say that I am caught up but adulting is hard, as we like to say around here.

Opinion | The DeSantis Team Ran the Worst Campaign in History - POLITICO
Sad but true...

Efforts to memorialize lynching victims divide American communities (msn.com)
This could be me, but wouldn't one way around this issue be that you just say "Democrats" as to who did the lynching and all?  I realize, of course, that Democrats would object, but it would be actually and factually true, and for them to deny their history would be...exceedingly rich.

Contrasts

 Interesting TV nite for me.  I had dinner with a friend, but it was conveniently done about 7:15, so I was able to make it home (the seafood risotto at Cafe Melissa in Avon Lake was quite good, too!) in time to watch LSU-South Carolina.  Much as we may snark about women's basketball, it was... a very good game.  LSU led for most of it, but foul trouble (some calls questionable, as were some of her decisions) on Angel Reese took her out of the game, and the Lady Cocks (in this day and age, it is quite possible) came from behind (see previous note) and won.  In the meantime, the curse of Terry Pluto continues, as CSU lost at home.  Why do people chance fate in such a manner?

Is it me, or is the cause of Republicanism -- and common sense (by extension) -- on the advance?  I mean, in Ohio, it takes the act of the legislature to override a veto... and now in Alabama they finally found a way to execute someone.  As I so often say, if the left can re-define marriage, gender, and being a woman, why can't we re-define "cruel and unusual punishment?"  I have often said that Kay Ivey is the second best governor in America, and today she just might be the first.  She might say "No way, Jose" but if she was up here...

I guess I nodded off after the second half of "Shane;" I love that movie but really they could have ended with the gunfight and the ride through the cemetery.  Brandon de Roush was nominated for Best Supporting Actor???  It's not "Shakespeare in Love," but...  anyways, I guess it was a necessary corrective after the hoops game.  But, this means that I cannot sleep.  Matt being Matt, I am reading and trying to finish the current book while catching up on some laundry.  This weekend I have nothing planned; well, almost nothing.  A friend is trying to get me to go to a Burns dinner (tomorrow is the day).  Having been to one... mind you, my friend does not share my culinary adventurism, and his poetry tastes make mine look progressive, so unless he wants to gander at kilted men and drink my scotch (both distinct possibilities)... I am thinking no.

Milestones and millstones

 I was going to post yesterday, but I had nothing of interest or fun to discuss, and a 1700th blog post merits something special, right?  Anyways, certainly the interesting ride in this morning.  Actually, it was not too bad, but... I think it was warmer than expected, as while I saw a few cars in interesting positions, most of the commute was going... fine?  Speeds were perhaps slightly slower, but it seemed to be all rain, so the vehicular catastrophe was avoided.  Good!

So, I watched the "American Experience" episode about the German-American Bund today... interesting, but... I realize I am somewhat more knowledgeable about history than the average American, but... they led in about how the 20s had a lot of the problems we had today -- racism, socialism, anti-Semitism, nationalism, etc. -- and then of course they immediately go into the dangers of Fascism.  This is true -- Fascism is dangerous -- but the Nazis were not Fascists; they were... National Socialists.  Like, Bernie and AOC.  More to the point... who are the anti-Semites of today?  I can't name MAGA-extremist who chants "From the river to the sea" but it is a cri de rigeur among the left.  Aborting children because they are an inconvenience to society?  I don't think it is the GOP running on that issue (because they have no other, but that is another blog).   Factor in such things as corruption, harassment of political enemies, and a kleptocracy of immense proportions... well, you get the idea.  Of course, our friends at PBS seemed to leave those inconvenient truths out.

The warmer weather -- even if unseasonably so for January -- is quite heartening to my ears, even if it unfreezes the lake and opens us up for lake effect snow.  Winter has not been that hard but it seems long, and I think my health would be better (i.e., I still have a cold) if spring arrived.  But that is literally Lent away (that is but three weeks away!)

I realized yesterday that I am closer to 46 than 45, and that was... not good.  I guess I am well-past the time of a mid-life crisis, and I have no desire for fast cars and such, and while a younger girlfriend would be fine, I have other things that need to be handled first.  Whether this is a sign of maturity, commonsense, or immense practicality, I know not...

La Tristesse

Certainly not the happiest of 24 hours in my life; Duke lost last night -- all those late turnovers, all that poor shot selection -- and then of course, Ron DeSantis suspended his campaign.  I suspect it all but opens the door for Trump, and while I am not exactly enthused by that, given the choice...well, that, at least, is a no-brainer.  Finally, Stanford's Tara VanDerveer passed Coach K (I used "eclipsed" before, as if anyone could do that to Coach K) on the all-time basketball win list.  That is technically the least depressing of the 3, as she is a fine coach and deserves the honor.  I give ESPN credit; they split-screen that game with the 35-point LSU beatdown and gave her a whole 90 seconds after the game for an interview.  Now, maybe she didn't want more, but, as a feminist...I felt the whole thing was rather shoddy.

Recycling is easier than ever. Why aren’t more of us doing it? Leslie Kouba - cleveland.com
I got a kick out of this, because... well, the problem isn't that people like me aren't recycling, it is that the people on her side are not.  Indeed, it took me 35 seconds of Google-searching to find this:
See how your community rates for recycling in Cuyahoga County - cleveland.com
Quite frankly, isn't this environmental reverse-racism?  It is certainly hypocrisy, given the large number of Democrats who bemoan the lack of activity of people to combat climate change.  I am tempted to write her -- her usual drivel is beyond commentary -- and point out these inconvenient truths.  Hell, I think it is incredibly belittling of her to say that the poor can't do the basics to confront the overwhelming problem of our time.

I went to the OC today -- we had a small crowd this weekend, and last -- and there is quite a bit of stuff there.  I am not exactly sure why a full produce order was put in (doesn't anyone look at the weather report?) and quite a bit of the stuff (I hope!) was a produce rescue, as many things people just will not eat, like eggplant and grapefruit.  I was also vastly amused by the fact that the parish plow guy left us just enough space to open our doors and operate; another two inches of snow and we might have had to shovel out (not that I have not done that before).  At least it should be melted by the next weekend!

Whitewash

 Don't laugh, but I crashed last night, and slept in today... funny; I woke up at 7 this morning, and was like... I have nothing planned for today, so I should actually try and go back to sleep.  I must have, as I woke up again at 9.  I mean, I need to sleep, get rid of this nagging cold, etc., so it was probably good.  If I can do it again tonight -- a big if as always -- it would be heavenly.  

Yesterday I didn't go out and I have no plans to do so today...funny; I went out to shovel yesterday (early) and there were some light flurries, but it was warm and... I was like, what the hell?  I had a couple of bathroom contractors over (adulting is not only hard but expensive) and they told similar tales.  Then, about one, the snow spigot opened and it seemed to really come down.  My driveway was plowed (I heard him, and it looks a deep ditch around the packed in snow!) and it looks ok now, but... there are things to do here.  Hell, considering the numbers I heard yesterday, some contract work seems... more than appropriate.  Two days of NOT going to the gym is NOT appropriate, and I expect an unpleasant scale reading -- and counter work on the bike -- as appropriate.

The New Geography of American Growth - by Joseph Politano (apricitas.io)

Interesting; Ohio seems somewhat anemic in comparison, and I couldn't help but notice right-to-work Indiana had much faster growth, not that we have Republicans running the state or anything like that.

What could future of Kent State, Akron and other MAC schools be in an NIL world? - cleveland.com
Also interesting.  To me, it seems like he is saying that things will continue; five-star athletes will get five-star money at five-star schools, while the MAC and similar conferences will get two-and three-star guys by paying them three-star money.  This seems...fair?  It does seem that at the end of the day there are limited supplies of top athletes, and that some of them will have to filter down to schools where they can play more...and making less dough is part of the deal.

Finally finished The Science of Murder Thursday night, and now we are on to book 4; the next five or six on the pile are somewhat thick, which means progress will be slow, and already I sense my goal of reading MORE than 50 to be...in danger.  In January.  Sigh. 

Blizzarded

 Here we are, hunkered down for another fun day of snow and meh.  To be sure, I am working from home tomorrow, have no place to go, and have no real weekend plans, so...  this is hardly a disaster, unless, of course, the contractors I have scheduled to come over and look at the bathroom can't make it.  I think we all know that I am quite patient until I decide it is time to act, and then it needs to happen now.  I know, this is not how the modern world works.  Alas.  One thing that did not work today was my computer, sort of; it had one of those auto-resets and half of my passwords don't register.  Sigh.  Tomorrow morning job one is dealing with that.  

Opinion: Why Trump’s base still adores him (msn.com)
Largely correct!

Why Marriage Is Suddenly So Political - POLITICO
This is interesting; I think the article gets at the point that marriage is mostly better for children, but no one seems to be sure if it is because better people (more resources, more stable) are getting and staying married, or is that marriage more closely binds people together after the ceremony, if you will.  To borrow a phrase from my job, once we get the weighting on formula right, we'll be able to determine that.  :)  More seriously. both can be true, and, as the article notes, we can do more to get more people married.  I wonder if the overall decline in religious belief isn't playing a role here; we often talk joke about Catholics being trapped in marriage but plenty of Protestant sects also championed marriage as well.  Course, I am not married, and, as I like to say, no woman -- or man, nowadays -- is that stupid.

I saw Dennis Kucinich is running for Congress, and my first -- and perpetual thought -- has been "Man, that guy really is a cockroach."  I see he is not running as a Democrat, though for once I will not claim that the man has shown an increase in brainpower...

Ennui

Another snowstorm coming?  Oi.  At least it appears that the worst will hit Friday, when I will be working from home and thus safely ensconced in it. I realize it is winter, and that it will be 40 next week, but it is unpleasant and annoying.  For all of the talk of global warming...

Funny; I was being lazy and trying to watch J! on the laptop, and when I went through all of the rigamarole (it is not too bad) to get it on... I was confronted with an emergency weather service warning about the snowstorm... after a series of lengthy commercials.  I was able to get the TV on and didn't miss an answer (if not the questions), but it was... incredibly annoying.  One would think that someone, somewhere, somehow, would enact legislation requiring the preemption of commercials and NOT actual programming...or better yet, allow people to decide whether or not they want these things.  I mean, save for a tornado warning...I could do without.

Is it me, or is the proposed age verification legislation for Internet porn...troubling?  Illegal?  I mean, this could be me, but I find it hard to believe that people will NOT find a way around it.  More seriously, I guess this is something Governor RINO-Mike can do to show off his conservative bona fides, but I would prefer something actually conservate, like regulating infanticide, executing criminals, etc.  Of course, GOP voters bear their share of this (albeit not I!).  No one seems to think about asking them what they think about this.

The Hidden World of Undersea Cables - by Brian Klaas (forkingpaths.co)
This was pretty interesting; I had read some of this, of course, but not all at once, and some of it -- the centrality of Madagascar, of all places, to global communications, for instance -- was of interest.  Of course, given an age where satellites can be endangered by all sorts of things, a few extra cables might not be unwise.

Fatigue

 So, the Iowa caucuses were last night, and...Trump won, as expected.  Everyone is pointing out that he won, and won big, but... isn't there a tale to be told that he won with but 51% of the vote?  Or, 49% of the GOP voters wanted someone else.  This sort of merits the ideas of Haley and DeSantis to stick around in the race, save for the fact that both of them cannot remain in the race.  The opposition, in so far as it exists, is thus fragmented... and smoothing the path for the Trump candidacy.  Of course, half of the GOP electorate is pleased with Trump -- enthusiastically so, I would say.  I admit I am a little fascinated by this, but... vox populi, vox Dei, right?

Why DeSantis and Haley Need to Stay in the Race – PJ Media
Interesting, but I am not sure that these are the reasons to stick around.  I am skeptical that the judicial reasons to keep Trump off the ballot will hold, though it would be funny as hell if the Trump wing of the Court decided he had committed insurrection and was ineligible.  Quite frankly, a close textual interpretation of the Constitution would imply it, though, of course, Trump has the ultimate defense, in that he could believe anything and everything at any particular time.  Can you imagine the chaos, though, if the Supremes ruled that Trump could not run for POTUS again?

A Different Framing of Trump Supporters - by Jeffrey Carter (substack.com)
Interesting, and I think this is largely correct; certainly it explains the loyalty of his voters and why they are all or nothing with him!

I think I am sick of being sick.  I mean, I used to think this cold was getting better, but now I am not so sure; certainly my nose has been a bit runnier and I have been sneezing a bit more.  Despite the vitamin C, the citrus fruits, and the additional rest, it does not seem to have helped.  Yes, I am still sleep deprived, and no, the weather is not helping, but...this is no fun.  Sigh.

Absence

 No J! tonight!  I completely forgot that the football game would preempt it.  While the one player had a commanding lead...well, one hates to miss J!, especially given it is a Tournament final and all...let's just say that while I don't necessarily think anything can happen, it's best to play it that way, for many reasons.

Iowa caucus tonight; I think the whole process is a bit odd -- vote or not -- but there is something quaint about it, and if it works for Iowa, well, God bless them.  I guess it is a question about margins and who else finishes where.  I am not quite sure where anyone else can make a stand.  Not that this is a bad thing -- if the people want Trump, and it seems they do (quite substantially, I might add), that tells us something about the GOP.  Now, I am not sure he can win the election, but, given the Biden-shitting-the-bed policy, the man has a shot.  I think we all remember 2016; Trump and his laser focus on the economy put him in the White House, and I think THAT -- and nothing else -- could put him back there.  As we all know that "message discipline" is not exactly in his lexicon (neither is lexicon, come to think of it), that could be... problematic.  

I got some call backs from bathroom contractors today -- two are scheduled for later this week, a follow-up call later as well, and who knows who was off and who was not... I guess this is progress.  I should probably get on expanding my HELOC and making sure the finances can be made.  As I told my sister, it really is a crapshoot; who knows if they do a good job, etc.  We all know how I hate uncertainly, but it is time...

I successfully "studied" for my lab "test" today and it seemed that the lab recorded its arrival, so take three will not need to happen.  Of course, the prior authorization for my prescription was unpleasantly delayed; not sure if the insurance or the MD is at fault.  On the one hand, I can see how people think that a big government plan would solve all this.  Then, of course, I think of all the times big government... well, I can only imagine how much more successful that would be.  Sigh.

One further advantage of a J!-less day; I decided I need to start on the backlog of media and watched another episode of "Manhattan;" I think it only lasted two seasons so I should be able to get through it fairly rapidly, even if I watch it on Kanopy, which limits (it is from the library and free) total consumption.  I was thinking I might need to get Hulu or some other streaming service, like every other person in America... lot of stuff I want isn't available (even some NFR stuff) and it might be worth the investment.  Of course, I have to pay for that bathroom, and that small amount... I know, I am ridiculous, even to myself sometimes.

Progress

 I have to admit, it was interesting getting dressed for Mass this morning; long sleeve T-shirt, long-sleeve button down, hoodie, and my friend's down jacket that he bought me because he feels I am underdressed in the winter (and it is quite warm).  Gloves, too; it was certainly the site for the few (ok, half) of the people who went in today... as I often tell people, what do you do when it is actually cold, and now it was, so... I dressed up.  The gym was also a bit less crowded than usual, though I couldn't tell if it was the cold or Browns fans who took the bridge.  Then it was a brief trip to Meijer for fruit and then home, where I did more of the same; chilled, caught up on emails and stuff, and did some media consumption.

First was a documentary called "Beyond the Curve," which was about Flat Earthers.  For all of the gruff I get for my support of creation science, these people... well, it was certainly interesting.  They did make a few points -- don't mock them, go after them with science, and recognize that people -- once they get into conspiracy theories -- fall for a lot more.  I also watched a movie from 1940:  "Dive Bomber," starring Errol Flynn and Fred MacMurray as flight surgeon and pilot who -- after initial struggles -- work together to solve the problem of high-altitude sickness among dive bomber pilots.  As a movie it was... what you expected from 1940, but -- as I learned from one of those war podcasts to which I listen -- if you wanted to see how the pre-WWII Navy operated (planes landing on carriers, fitness tests, experiments, you name it), this was as good as place as any to look.  That was pretty cool, at least.  

One thing I forgot to mention yesterday:  Duke -- despite being down 11 with 8 minutes to play -- came back and won.  I was actually watching the game and it was quite impressive to see the boys -- despite playing like crap for 25 minutes -- put together ten minutes of gloriously competent hoops and beat a team they should have more easily handled.  To be sure, half of the time I was thinking if this is what it takes to beat Georgia Tech in Cameron... but, as I like to say, everyone plays up against Duke.

I am slightly more than halfway through my current read:  The Science of Murder, which looks at the forensics behind Christie's stories.  As it is written by a forensic pathologist, it is quite good, and, more to the point... it appears that Christie was well up on the latest science and technology, so that the stories -- for the times in which they were written -- are quite accurate.  If anything, the book has reminded me that I always wanted to read the Christie Canon, and aside from the usual excuses... there is no reason not to.

Winter arrives

 That escalated quickly, or degenerated, I guess.  Yes, I had the Browns game on, at least til the fourth quarter, when I shut off the TV and made dinner.  Funny, I really didn't want to, but everyone I knew was, so... bet they are sorry they did!  Man, Flacco looked awful there; not sure to whom he was throwing to on either of those passes.

I guess the weather wasn't as bad as I thought; it seemed people were out and about all over today.  I went to the lab to get the test kit and then the gym (which was packed) and then safely home, where I bundled up, drank some coffee, and did some contract work.  I should be looking at bathroom contractors; maybe tomorrow, as I really have nothing planned then either.  This is sort of nice, actually.   Just different.  I need to put the furnace up a bit, as the cold spell really starts tonight and that will be especially unpleasant.  I can see why people heat their garages.  I should probably add mouse traps to the garage, lest they try and enter again.  

Did watch a couple of films tonight.  One was the Fassbender adaptation of Macbeth from 2015.  Sort of dark, not that Macbeth was happy puppies.  Dare I say they portray him as having PTSD?  Did give the wife a bit of eroticism, which I thought interesting, though it certainly seemed to put her back in the drivers' seat as to pushing her husband to commit the acts.  The other was a documentary from the 80s, "Radio Bikini," about the 1946 atomic tests and their long-term effects -- people displaced, thousands of veterans affected by disease, all shamelessly lied to.  As I like to say, thank God that wouldn't happen now.

I guess one nice thing about today is that it was restful.  That, combined with my interest to hit the hay soon, should be a boon to my nagging cold.  I am not sure it is getting better but it does seem to be breaking up a bit, though the weather will NOT help.  Hell, I do have a winter jacket around here somewhere, so I should find that as well...

Flakes and lumps

 The wind is...impressive.  Actually, the whole change in weather has been impressive.  It was fairly nice most of the day -- I went to the gym, the bank, the library, and Marc's (I needed milk) -- but it seemed abou4 PM (as predicted); the wind picked up, there was rain and wet snow, and soon I heard the snowplow... I thought about a gym double today but I guess I do not regret skipping it this afternoon.  Tomorrow I guess it will be...well, windy, with intermittent snow, with the cold to come Sunday.  That should be a change, to put it...mildly.  :)

Last night I watched "Love and Basketball" and tonight I took advantage of the gift of time by watching "Edge of the City."  Both are new additions to the National Film Registry.  I would not say I loved both films, but I liked them and certainly could sense why they were culturally significant.   The first film... one thing I found fascinating is that it dealt with young love but treated it, if you will, in a... mature manner?  I wouldn't say it was slow-moving, but it was gradual in its approach.  The second... it was ok; I could see how and why it was controversial at the time, and it did show how gifted an actor Sidney Poitier was.  Impressive.  I think both endings were a little Hollywood-ish, but...so be it.  This puts me at 827 and I just ordered another.

Consumer Credit Hits Record $5 Trillion, Credit Card Rates Also Record High – MishTalk
When we look at why the consumer perception of the economy is where it is, we need to look here, especially with interest rates so high.  Again, some GOPer somewhere should be railing at this; the interest rates are too damn high is certainly something that would win votes, especially for our new populist party.  Working class voters in AZ, WI, MI, and PA might be especially receptive, just saying.

In other news, to use a favorite French phrase, je perds patience.  As part of my ongoing tummy rumbling, I had to supply a sample, and as you know, last Friday... I did so.  Called the MD today to see what were the results, and... not only did the MD not have the results, the lab had no record of my having taking the test.  So, I have to re-provide said sample... my sister finds this immensely humorous (as do I, sort of) and after entreating me to study hard, noted that somewhere in the universe my sample is floating around...  If there is an issue with this one, someone is going to have a live one, and they can collect it any way they please.

And back again

 The top two teams went down last night, and tonight #3 and #5 go down as well... glorious court-stormings abound.  Duke should move up -- maybe even top 5? -- though I am not sure they merit this.  Of course, ALL of this is undercut by the Saban retirement, which, to be sure, was completely out of the blue.   I wonder how many recruits tOSU will get out of this...

So, the polar vortex is finally coming.  Funny, I mentioned to my sister that while the warm winter was a good thing, we do need a good freeze, because -- as I learned in my second career -- it does the most effective job of killing insect pests (no matter the lifecycle) and such nasties as fungi and bacteria.  That, of course, is the only good thing about it; the gas bill came today (for both home and the OC) and I had a mini-coronary after seeing both.  Next week I will probably crank it up a bit and it will run more, and... at least I am doing my share to minimize carbon emissions, as you can bet my thermostat is lower than that of John Kerry.

So, between the new year, my new health plan, and the fact that the local Rite Aid and transferred my prescriptions...well, everything had to be called in again.  This is a First World problem but...so far so good, until today, when I got a message from my two-health-plans-ago mail-order pharmacy; of course, the prescription was denied.  Oi.  I called the MD's office and they supposedly corrected it, but after the four-order fiasco of a few months ago...My Mom used to say that half of all nurses were lazy, half were incompetent (she used a stronger phrase), and half were both... more of this and I will at least concede a quarter.

Trump Says We Should Have Negotiated Around the Civil War. Here’s What Would Have Happened. - POLITICO
I just mentioned this, and now Politico... I am shocked and appalled that they didn't call me for my expert commentary, of course.

Duke fan builds Cameron Indoor Stadium replica in basement - ESPN
I don't want to hear that I am an obsessed Duke fan ever again.  More seriously, this is impressive, and I wish I had half the skills this man does!

I am bemused (sort of) by the latest mini-rebellion in the House against Speaker Awesome.  To be sure, the rebels do have a point -- spending is higher than what McCarthy agreed to a while ago.  On the other hand... do they really want to go through another agonizing search for a new speaker?  Who would they select?  Hell, it is their fault that spending is higher in the first place by scuttling McCarthy.  I am not sure that the rest of the House is going to entertain a motion to vacate, given the joyfulness it caused last time.  I would like to imagine that someone explained to them the best way to win is to win EVERYTHING in November and then they do what they please with that certified conservative Trump.  :)

Absence

 I am of two schools of the latest scandal, the unknown absence of Lloyd Austin -- and he was in the ICU.  I mean, I get that he wants his privacy, but there is an easy way to do this; the fact that he never thought to tell anyone at the White House that he would be "away," if you will, is a problem.  It's poor judgment, at the very least.  I am not quite sure the White House should get the blame it is getting, but it is yet another mark in the long list of poor judgments made by Biden and his crew.  Not saying he should resign, but there is something to be said for firing a guy for not even doing the basics required by any HR department in pretty much every company in America.  That is a concern.

I should have gone to bed by now, as I went to bed by 11 last night and had seven plus hours of sleep.  On the heels of the eight the night before, and my cold and other issue...well, I haven't felt this good in a long while.  Of course, I am instead watching Duke putting the smack down on Pitt, which, well, should be expected?  I mean, Pitt has some talent, but a soft non-conference schedule...well, Duke just has to keep winning against teams like this, and pull out half of the tough ones, and they will be fine.  Mostly.

My sister and I met for our monthly dinner (after an unfortunate hiatus) tonight; her choice, and she chose Fire 45 in North Royalton.  We agreed it was good, but not so good that we would run back; there are some interesting things on the menu, but it is, if you will, North Royalton prices (what isn't nowadays).  I passed by the new Chipotle there and I realized that I have not been to one since before the pandemic.  This is probably good, if for health reasons if not that of the budget -- but as I have yet to even call a bathroom contractor, that is almost slightly moot.  

The Art of the Deal

 I meant to post yesterday, but... I think I am coming down with/having a cold; felt chilly yesterday and today, had a runny nose, felt bleh, etc... so I just went to bed, and I think I will be hitting the hay again soon tonight.  This, when combined with the stomach rumbling... well, it has been something of a downer.  At least I was able -- on my lunch break -- to hit the MD's office and personally deliver my prescriptions to them (new year, new plan).  After the muckups of last year...well, I am taking no chances, and it is not like I have a tremendous amount of confidence in their ability to handle these now.  Alas.

We Have an 'Affordability Crisis' and It's Slamming Our Food Budgets – PJ Media
This is exactly correct, and I think few people (in the media) seem to grasp this.  I mean, I am pretty cheap, and eat simply, but most people cannot, and combined with all of the other expenses... well, this is a problem.  Plus, interest rates are quite high, so if you have a credit card balance, a HELOC, etc., those things are up...or, more likely, it is harder to pay them down and the interest piles up.  Again, some GOPer should be going out and campaigning on this, but if we had any brains...

Trump says Civil War ‘could have been negotiated.’ Historians disagree. (msn.com)
As I told one of my former coworkers, as always, his genius is underrated, as Trump was able concisely explain the 1920s historiography of Civil War history!  More accurately, Trump is correct, but these compromises (see Crittenden Compromise - Wikipedia) would have included say, the permanence of slavery, "super-duper" amendments to the Constitution, and a host of other things objectionable to the modern viewer.  Of course, in the 20s -- after the "uselessness" of WWI, a minimal view of the Civil Rights movement (thanx President Wilson!) -- this argument had a certain level of resonance.  Then, WWII -- wars do solve things -- and the Civil Rights movement came and... well, such compromises were... what I will politely call "quaint."

Yes, men and boys are in crisis — but traditional masculinity won't help them (msn.com)
This could be me, but the lack of traditional masculinity is the problem, as men and boys can't/won't step in to provide the leadership they used to.  This is fine, but no one else seems to want to step up and handle it, so...nothing happens.  As I sometimes say at the food pantry (to the amusement of all), me and my toxic masculinity will go and handle it... because no one else has done so.  To me, that is the essential element of masculinity -- doing the right thing no matter what.  Course, we are not Hope and Changers here, so... that is expected of us, as it should be.

Refreshment

 I crashed hard last night; I nodded off on the floor after J! for about an hour (is it me, or have the FJs been rather easy lately?).  I then woke up, shut the tree lights off (I hadn't put them on in a while, and they looked quite good), and then did some stuff online -- checking emails, the Net, the like -- before I decided the discretion was the better part of valor and went to bed about 10:30.  Funny; I got extra blankets and such to really warm up, because I have noted it helps me sleep -- how often have you went to bed and then laid there unable to do so?  Well, I had no such issues last night.  I even rolled over after my alarm before finally waking at 8:30.  This was a later start to my day -- bad for many reasons -- but I did need the rest.

Finally finished the Wilentz book -- #1 for the year -- and I will start the next today.  I think 50 is a fine goal but I should be able to read more, as the list expands, I like reading, etc.; of course, work and life intervene, but... still, I should be able to get more books in.  I guess one "advantage" of this ongoing stomach rumbling is that there is more time for... reading, if you will.

The Vatican desperately tries to clean up a mess of its own making (msn.com)
I find this amusing for many reasons, mainly, of course, for the obvious one, that it IS a mess and should not have been made.  Also, given the objections in Africa (where the growth and increasing numbers of priests are) and the US (where the money comes from), someone should have at least thought of that before proceeding.  No one -- save for me -- has yet to notice that our Jesuit pope (the order with one of the highest number of sex abuse claims) is going around a making a moral defense of this behavior... and don't tell me that some Jesuit won't use this latest Papal proclamation to make those claims.  Sooner or later this will happen, and if I were a betting man, I would take "sooner."

However, we need not look that far to find similar idiocy, as down in Columbus, Governor RINO-Mike -- facing a veto override -- issued an executive order that bans what he previously allowed.  Now, I don't know what is going to happen; my sneaky suspicious sense is that the GOP has the votes to override the veto, but DeWine doesn't want that to happen, and this may call off the dogs of war.  I am not sure that it will, though, in which case...the man will get all the egg on his face that he deserves.

Adulting

 Study showing drop in Ohio crime rates offers strong, mixed reactions to concealed carry law - cleveland.com
Well, this is...interesting.   More guns, less crime?  I can barely believe the PD is printing this sort of thing, though I am sure they will be walking it back tomorrow.  I guess I would say that this is not surprising?  One, if you can carry a weapon legally,  no one can stop and arrest you just for that.  As for the rest... it's been axiomatic on the right that more guns equals less crime, and this is the sort of thing that would imply it.  

The house is as clean as it will be, save for the downstairs toilet (which I will do tomorrow), as I ran the vacuum today.  I really need a new one -- I "inherited" this one from Mom, which may be why I am keeping it -- and this was made quite evident while vacuuming.  I guess I am actually working now, so I can afford it, so... yet another bit of adulting for me.

I think 2/3 of my fridge is fruit -- oranges, apples, and grapefruits.  As I stepped on the scale at 186.5 pounds today...I am thinking that might be all I am eating the next few days.

Awake

 Last night I was in a cleaning mood, felt tired, and crashed early.  Tonight -- still in the cleaning mood -- I finished up, mostly, cleaning out the fridge (nothing needed to be thrown away, but stuff needed to be cleaned and such), doing the floors, dusting, that sort of thing.  I went to bed, sort of, and... here we are now.  My blood sugar was low, and I couldn't sleep anyways, so I may as well blog, right?  I should have done it before, to be sure, but, again... I was feeling domestic, fueled by 1) the notion that I should do this more often and 2) why don't I do this more often?  I mean, I strongly suspect that it would be easier if I did this, right?

Is it me, or has the release of the Epstein files been...underwhelming?  I mean, first there was the release, but also the reaction.  Bill Clinton likes them young?  Yawn.  Donald Trump wanted to land a chopper?  David Copperfield... now that is something.  Prince Andrew (Randy Andy!) is also old news.  Is it because he is dead and beyond justice?  All the names are roughly out there?  All of the names are past their prime?  Odd.  Years ago, this would have been a tale, but now...

I am about a third of the way through Wilentz's No Property in Man, which concerns itself with the antislavery origins of the Constitution -- both in creating the document and the debate afterwards.  My first thought is that didn't the chick who wrote the 1619 Project read this?  More seriously, I think he makes the point that while the Constitution protected slavery in many ways, in the important ways, the text limited the growth of slavery, and, as the author indicates, made sure to make a careful distinction between property and people.  I think we tend to underestimate the amount of racism inherent in society at the time -- not even the Quakers really believed in the equality of races -- so for anyone to say that in law, black people (slave or free) were equal to whites.... well, it was impressive as a concept.

A New Year!

 Funny; I just became incredibly sleepy ten minutes ago and I am not sure why.  I guess I have not slept long or well the last two nights, and while I was not terribly active today, I did hit the gym twice.  And, as we all know, I am perpetually overtired, so... one thing unchanged from last year.  

Much of the day I was somewhat discombobulated, so this is par for the course.  I woke up early (Holy Day of Obligation, we are NOT a Hope and Changer, so off to Mass it was) and as I was the EM yesterday, I did it today.  The priest was a visitor, and when I went to the sacristy to see if he wanted me to get the ciborium from the tabernacle... he was like did we need an EM today, as attendance was slightly sparse.  This floored me, mainly because we had the usual people there who had mobility issues, and... why not?  Anyways, then when I got to the gym... I had forgotten my book (need to start early on the reading, have to read at least 50 this year!).  I ended up going through the messages while on the exercise bike, so it worked out ok, but...  I also was going to lift, but everyone was on the benches, so I ended up doing legs.  But, a lot of people were on those machines, and borderline camping on them (Oi!) so I had to mix up my routine, and we all know what I think about that.  But I survived.

I wanted to watch the Liberty-Oregon game, and in some ways I am sad I did, because LU looked completely lost and Oregon did not.  I think we all knew that Liberty was smaller and slower than Oregon, but... wow.  I think I expected them to be on fire and Oregon to be down about missing the playoff, but that was not even close to being the case.  Sort of sad, as they had a good year, and deserved a better fate than that.  In a related vein, the Big Ten should be pleased Michigan won, because other than that... if Maryland is your bowl season highlight, you don't want to know the question.

On the one hand I am looking forward to going back to work -- we all like work and paychecks.  Of course, going back will be rough; a whole week off, some stuff piling up (I am sure), and I have the knowledge of all the stuff I didn't do... not good.