Mattie the Panhead

Yesterday I decided to treat myself and hence I went to see Skillet at the Agora -- there had been a discount ticket deal a couple of weeks ago, and it moved me to make the purchase.  As my sister told me, I do deserve a treat once in a while, and honestly, I wanted to see them.  And it was awesome.  The first two bands -- Royal Lynn and Tim Montana -- were also quite solid, and Skillet really rocked the place; very loud and awesome for an hour.  One thing... it was as close to a MAGA fest as I have seen at any rock concert.  I realize that if you listen to punk pop and such you get libtardery, but...not that they were explicitly political (and Skillet made comments that decried politics), but there was a lot of pro-police, pro-first responders, pro-military stuff.  There were a number of Trump shirts in the crowd, and also a lot of families with young kids, which is also something you do not really see.  Plus, every time I hear one of their songs I remember one of my favorite put-downs (and I have so many):  "A Trump voter would of course recognize the Christian content of their songs, but to the average Freedonian it is over their heads."

American kids have fallen far behind in math and reading | Vox
If Vox notices this, this must be a crisis.  Of course, they missed the leading causes, but... well, baby steps.

Hung out with one of my friends who was in town with his boys tonight; we played Monopoly and I won each time.  I do not exactly think skill had much to do with it -- some lucky dice rolls, maybe some judicious house and hotel buying -- but they thought I was some master of the game, which of course I tacitly encouraged.  It was fun, though, even if -- as always -- I wonder if I should have had kids.  Probably not for their sake, but...