Return

As many of you noticed, I have not posted in a few days.  I was in Anaheim, CA, for work, and it was... good?!  I mean, it is nice to get away, meet with the coworkers, go out, plan for the future, stay in a hotel, eat too much, read on the plane, etc.  On the other hand, tonight I have done nothing but catch up on the stuff I didn't do during the week (yet to watch any of the archived J! episodes, ahem).  I was also a little down; everyone has a wife/husband/gf/bf, and I do not, and we all know how I feel about that.  And, of course, the house is a mess, the bathroom is unusable, etc.  My luggage was delayed -- arrived today -- and while that was frustrating, it was ok in the end, but that added a little angst.  I will put everything away soon...I do not have a lot of spare time this weekend but I know what else needs to be done, and... oi.  

More seriously, Anaheim -- Orange County -- was nice.  I mean, it is suburbia, and for all of the talk of unseasonable coolness, I survived.  The airport is named after John Wayne, which bode well, and I made sure to find the statue of him.  I had to explain to my younger coworkers who The Duke was, which caused me much angst; talking to some older TSA workers and travelers there about who he was made me feel much better.  

I am vastly amused by the angst on Facebook about the deportation raids, etc.  I mean, I do feel for those who have been caught, but they did cross illegally -- jumping the line -- and it should appall those who came in legally.  On the other hand...well, they have suppressed pricing in our labor markets, and in turn drove out millions of native-born and legal immigrant Americans out of the market.  Their arrival has created this labor shortage in construction and manufacturing, for one; and certainly, the people who hired them -- to drive down wages -- have no right to complain now about this, as they have broken the system.  We Americans love cheap stuff, and if companies never felt they needed to act differently, well, they deserve as much odium as anyone.  Not that I know how to solve it; like Lincoln in 1862, given the opportunity to free the slaves, he would not have an iota of idea of what to do with them once free.  I think we all can have two varying thoughts at once!

I was able to read much of American Prometheus on the plane and during the down time (I did not sleep well the whole time; not sure why, though it is probably a biorhythm issue).  It is not an easy read (big book, small text, complex character) but it is good, though he was...something of a fool.  I mean, not in the being a liberal/Communist way (they all are), but in that...he could hide it?  Get away with it?  Odd.  I would not say I felt sorry for the guy -- I do -- but...well, as we like to say in the family, sometimes you DO have to be smarter.

The death penalty works, Part 1 - The Conservative Woman
The death penalty works, Part 2 - The Conservative Woman

I always say that when it comes to capital punishment, I am quite the liberal, and this is why (in part).  As far as I am concerned, calling it "abortion for criminals" is simply a wonderful Matt touch.

Bemusement All Around

I posted this on Facebook, but I did find it fascinating that all of these German companies were making posts about Holocaust Remembrance Day.  I mean, it's sort of like Democrats bragging about their civil rights record.  I mean, oh sure, now, but... it seems highly selective, if you get my drift.

Speaking of selectivity, the bathroom is done, and would have passed inspection, but the drainage is unacceptably slow, due to the blockage/collapse factor, so, later in the week, the pipe guy will give me a call and we can start that project.  Sigh.  The bathroom looks beautiful, and functional, but I will be showering and crapping in the basement for an indefinite period.  Alas.  it is sort of a wonderful Polish joke -- having a new bathroom and not being able to use it -- but on the other hand, this is yet another project that will have to be undertaken.  (The weather puts some delay into this, but this allows me more time to pay off the HELOC, so this is not the worst thing.)  The main thing is that it delays the windows, though once it is warmer, it will be less of an issue (though I would still like to get that done sooner).

I also got a kick out of the Selena Gomez crying video, not that I watch social media and such, but I guess the reaction to it was such (on my side) that she pulled it.  All I can say... why on earth did she post it in the first place?  I guess this is why I stay off the socials, especially given my snark and general level of offensiveness on any given day for trivial reasons.

There has been a lot going around the deportation push by President Awesome and ICE.  In between writing fan letters for Tom Homan, I note that part of complaints about it is that it will remove from the workplace a large number construction (and other) workers from the workforce.  This is fair.  But... should we not also mention that it was illegal immigration that drove many people from that career path in the first place?  Bringing all these people in to make houses and stuff more cheaply destroyed a good hunk of the US manufacturing base/work ethic/retinue of skilled tradespeople, and I hardly thin we are the better for it.  Complaining that we will be now throwing out the people who caused the issues in the first place is closing the barn door after the animals are gone and not burning it down.

News Good and Bad

Busy day today, and I am sort of feeling it... first we had Ozanam/new volunteer training on the East Side for our new Conference and other interested volunteers.  I would like to think it went well; a bit long, but we had a lot to cover, and they asked a lot of (good and relevant) questions, which we made sure we answered.  I was pleased, and now I need to find more parishes to join in (as always).  Then, since I was on the east side, I met a former coworker for lunch -- it was good to catch up, celebrate the return of President Awesome, and just hang out.  We selected Panini's, and I forgot how much I loved those panini sandwiches.  I mean, usually I would get one after a Tribe game, so it was not quite the same, but it was quite good.

Then off to my sister's to exchange stuff, and then home -- just in time -- to watch the Duke game.  Two different games; Duke really played well in the first half, big lead, and then played like crap the first half of the second half... as if they were trying to lose.  But, they recovered just enough to pull out a win.  Hard to judge Wake Forest; lot of wins, but a Little Sister of the Poor schedule takes off the luster.  I think the weakness of the ACC makes them very borderline, unless they make a lot of noise in conference (including the ACC tournament), and even then...my enjoyment of the comeback was highly tempered by the news that one of the co-managers of the OC passed away.  Tom was a good guy -- experienced, wise, knew the area -- and he had been with us from the beginning.  He had been battling cancer for a while, and while it was not good at first...well, we had had hope.  Alas.  This is another crisis of leadership for one of my parishes, which I will need to solve.  Oi.

Are we entering a Conservative Golden Age? - by Nate Silver
Bit long.  But interesting.  Do I believe it?  Possibly; I will note that by and large our wins are "preventing the others from losing" which is not the same as winning, though there is some hope that Trump will be achieve something along that line.  But I think he is largely correct that there are broad and general sweeps to US policy that go one way and another... it is Nate Silver, after all!

Friday follies

So, I wanted to post last night, but felt tired and decided to go bed.  And, of course, I could not fall asleep, followed by my falling asleep and being woken by the blood sugar meter, followed by my waking up in the middle of the night with a charley horse.  Oi!  I guess I should crash early tonight, though I can only imagine what nocturnal adventures will come tonight.  Even the succubus could be an option!

Last night I decided that I had been cooped in the house for three days and I decided that I was going out; I thought about engaging in some culinary tourism, but decided instead to burn through the pile of gift cards and went to Longhorn in Independence.  On the way there I noted that 1) it was snowing (and the TV people assured me it would move away) and 2) everyone else might have the same idea I did.  And I was correct, as it was...packed.  That said, it was good to get out, read 50 pages, and have a decent steak.  For all we snark about chain restaurants... well, consistency and regularity is good.  The adventure was on the way home.  I fishtailed out of the parking lot, and I figured that if Independence couldn't clean their roads... I mean, it appeared it snowed for three hours last night, and it was not a fun drive home.  It appeared that the service departments also followed the weather people, as salt trucks were few and far between.  I watched some of the weather segments on the news last night, and of course... no one mentioned that they bollocks-ed the forecast.  Oi.

The bathroom is almost done -- final stuff and inspection Monday -- but now the issue is that the new setup is slow-draining, as the pipes are...severely blocked.  A snaking has been tried... not much progress, and might need new ones.  Oi!  This would be unpleasant, as I had planned to do windows next, to say nothing of using my bathroom (one cannot excavate now, sadly).  We will see, but... I realize this is an older home and I should have done it sooner, but... a big bowl of meh.  I can always economize more -- eating only the value of my gift cards -- but it is mainly...that we are back where we started, sort of like an eternal Curse of Oak Island episode.

Cleveland State University is dropping 3 sports programs as part of cost-cutting initiative - cleveland.com
Funny; my first thought was that the wrestling program is well-regarded, so this is just a ploy to get people to give them money to save it (which they may just squander)... and three of my friends thought this was the case as well.  Maybe I attract fellow cynics, or... I also note that this is now the time to pull moves without regard for Title IX, as the new sheriff is not exactly concerned, if you get my drift.

Trump says he wants to overhaul FEMA as he visits disaster zones : NPR
Dare I say I do not disagree, but... 1) states would have to fund this and they would rather have other peoples' money do it, and 2) states would have to be responsible for their own stuff, and we all know how government officials are about responsibility.  So while this is the proper idea, it will never work, even in this era of DOGE.  Alas.

Linkage

You know, it is warmer -- perceptibly so -- now than it was this morning.  I went out to shovel the walk and lay down rock salt for the contracting crew, and today was the worst by far!  Oi.  Between this and all of the snow down South, I don't want to hear about global warming anytime soon.  Or, for that matter, at all!  Anyways, good progress on the bathroom today, as the floor was laid (and it looks good), the vanity was installed, the main light fixture was installed, and the paint is fully dry.  Hell, they even brought a new register for the furnace hole.  All in all, I was quite pleased.  The plumbing has to be set up, the toilet installed, etc., but... well, as Churchill, it is the end of the beginning.

Speaking of, President Awesome (I so love bringing that phrase back from the...dead?  Netherworld?  Pasture?) was on another tear today, and between his actions and the reactions it was caused...well, God is good.  I think the appearance at the Episcopal church service was an unforced error, though a real politician would have mentioned that the lady didn't pray for victims of infanticide, crimes by illegal immigrants, or any other of a dozen groups.  Hell, he should have said that the next time he goes to an ecumenical prayer service, he will be going to a real church, which would have been a kick.  Hell, it would be more of a kick if he showed up at one of those semi-renegade Latin Masses across DC.  Trolling the Pope and the new Cardinal, what could be better?

Scott Jennings Illuminates His Colleagues: Trump IS Biden’s Legacy
This is pretty funny, and why Scott Jennings has become the cause celebre on the right.  More seriously, though; when are we going to start investigating the Dems about this?

How Gettysburg Became a Refuge for Conservatives Battered by Trump-Era Strife - POLITICO
Interesting article.  Honestly, I think the author sort of gets to the point here; in the beginning it was about heritage and culture, and in some ways it still is, but a lot of is people trying to figure out what made their ancestors/fellow Americans go out, take up rifles, eat crappy, and march 1,000s of miles for something...abstract.  I am in the middle of Jaffa's A New Birth of Freedom now and while that gets to a part of it -- Lincoln was good at putting the abstract into something real -- it doesn't get there all the way, and I don't think there is anything that will...

How the Women's March lost steam - POLITICO
I don't know; I have seen pictures of a lot of these ladies (I use the term loosely), and I think that "seconds" would regain their...movement.  :P  Ok, more seriously, one issue that no one seems to talk about -- even remotely -- is by how much women, the poor, minority women (ok, all of us) have suffered economically during the Bidenomics era.  If you're struggling to put food on the table, keep the lights on, and control credit card debt...no time for marching.  Again, we in the GOP should be all over this.

The Rise of Young Republicans on America’s College Campuses - WSJ
Snicker, snicker, snicker.

Disorder and disarray

 Donald Trump is still the President.  We still have a majority.  Things are happening.  I am pleased.   :)   More seriously, the hard work of governance begins today (or it should).  The narrow majorities do make for some narrow maneuvering, though I note that much of what he has done is... fine?  For instance, tariffs -- threatened -- are back-burnered with a study, as countries (rightly, I think) are trying to work with POTUS to make more favorable deals.  I don't necessarily think this is a bad thing  -- jaw-jaw is better than war-war, to use a phrase of Winston Churchill.  How long this will last, I do not know, but if these deals are of benefit to us... so be it.

Exclusive | Trump announces pardon for Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht, vacating life sentence
I don't know how I feel about this; the libertarian in me says "So what, he made a website to buy and sell drugs, which should be legal anyways."  To which I say yes, but he tried to hire a hit man and eliminate his rivals.  To which I say, yes, but it was an FBI setup, and if this is what they have been working on...well, we all know what the new administration thinks about them.  I guess -- like many of the J6 rioters -- I would have preferred a commutation, which says you are still guilty, but you can go home.  I think most people would accept that deal, but... it does seem to be something of an unforced error.  I suspect there will be more.

Painting -- at least the white -- and the drywall is done, and it looks quite beautiful in there.  The carpenter arrives tomorrow -- bright and early, supposedly -- and this will start the install of the vanity, which has to be custom due to the length of the space between the wall and the studs.  This is fine -- I figured as such, as basically I have a stock cabinet with a custom countertop.  I am not sure how much longer this will take, but I am feeling both anxious and overeager to get it done.

Similarly, I am thinking that there will eventually be a time when I need to take the tree down and put away the Christmas stuff.  It has replaced the end of the season as the saddest day of the year for me.  One, because it is pretty and we need this in our life.  Two, it seems sad to pack it away for 11 months of the year.  Three... well, for so long, of course, I didn't put stuff out, and I feel regret, and then I think of the holidays past, and the fact that I am childless, which is the point of the holidays, is it not?  Also, the mess and disorder in the living room has compressed everything so it is hard to sit in the living room and just enjoy the Christmas decorations...again, next year, it will be better, but for now... I should see a professional about this, but I think we know how I feel about that.

Best Day Ever!

Today was... a good day.  Donald Trump finally assumed the office of the Presidency.  I was literally wetting my pants with joy, watching the pre-inaugural festivities, and then, once the swearing in was done...phew.  The speech was a bit harsh, but Joe and team have really shit the bed, so... deal with it.  And, of course, the pardons -- first Hunter, then the rest, especially his family (the brother is being investigated for Medicare fraud!).  Trump should have the DOJJ keep up the investigations, just to see what crimes will go unpunished.  This of course ties in with the pardons of the J6 rioters.  I don't agree with them, but if Biden can pardon anyone, anybody, for whatever reason...well, there you go.  Anyways, most of the other things he did today were...more than fine?  What he said he would do?  I will take this anyday, anytime...and, of course, more is coming.  The best was the presser he did in the Oval Office... this is more press time than Biden has had in four years (almost) and we all know there are more coming... and they are going to hate on him.

Tonight of course was the National Championship, and tOSU -- despite Ryan Day trying to get lose it -- pulled it out.  It was interesting; I felt before the game that OSU had more weapons and that ND would have to hustle to keep it close, and I was largely correct.  Some late penalties and missed tackles let ND get the game close late, but a clutch drive and a clutch kick sealed it for the Buckeyes.  Phew.  I have to admit, I was not impressed with Day, but the job he has done in the past month...well, I am sure Stephen A. Smith and others will still insist that they fire him tomorrow.

I am up to 845 on the National Film Registry; I watched "Invaders from Mars" yesterday, and it was... cute?  Interesting?  Not quite my scene, and at times I was like "people actually watched and believed this stuff back then" but of course it was the 1950s, and it was a different time.  Also, the movie was the first to depict Martians -- not just some off-screen force -- and of course in that way it was influential.  I need to erase more of the stuff I have on Tivo, and I may as well start while cooped up and waiting for the freeze to go away.

Emo!

Last night I decided to let my hair down, if you will, and went out to Lakewood for Emo Night at the Foundry.  And it was...glorious!  I sort of needed it -- my house is a mess (a good mess, and the bathroom is coming along), but the disorder to my life is evident.  Work has been fine but I am still worried about it being a new job and all.  The car was a scare (and I am hoping it still works).  The weather has been -- and will be -- meh.  In other words, I needed some Matt time, and going and listening for four hours to the greatest songs of my era was the just the prescription.  I knew pretty much every song, and while I couldn't but feel a bit old in that some of these were a generation ago...  well, it was fine.  Of course, I got in late, couldn't go back to bed right away and then today I was up fairly early -- I had OC duty of a sort (had to help set up for the toy drive, write some checks), then some errands...  Grocery shopping and it was quite the zoo; I think everyone knows that a cold spell is coming and people want to stock up before it arrives.  This is completely understandable but it was amusing; it is only three days...that said, I have apples, oranges, pop, and squash til Doomsday, almost.  Hell, I have the oven on now to bake a few potatoes that I still have from a weeks ago!  

The point is that I am dragging today; I already nodded off once, and I probably make some coffee to boost my energy.  To be sure, I had some emails and stuff to get out, and I read a few articles and thing (we know I like empty bookmark lists), but I have not done a quarter (give or take) of what I had wanted to do.  Early to bed I hope, and I can get some energy tomorrow... there should be time for a movie tonight, and some reading, but... meh.  Mind you, today is the best day for a week or so; I can only imagine how I will feel tomorrow.

How Biden’s Inner Circle Protected a Faltering President - The New York Times
Johnson: Here's When I Knew Biden Wasn't Running Anything – HotAir
These articles have gained quite a bit of traction on the right, and I think that is quite valid -- not only do we have to call out the Dems who let this happen, we need to call out the press that let it happen.  Hell, punishment should be on the cards, I feel, as I think -- truly -- that this is as much of a Constitutional crisis as January 6 -- an end run around the normal processes of government -- and it must never be allowed to happen again.

Relief

Good news -- and I hope permanently; my four-wheel drive works.  Funny; I tried to pull into my driveway and got stuck.  Back and forth, it didn't work, and out of options, I decided to try the drive...and it worked.  I backed up a bit and drove into the garage, yay!  I don't want to look at the driveway carnage, not that I had that much snow... but because I had the trucks and vans from the contractors in and out all day, it didn't get plowed -- I am not sure it needed to be, either, as I do not think we got two inches here.  But there has been a lot of action, it was a bit slick this morning, and I might have just hit a rough spot.  But, for now, it works!  Yay!

Good day -- in reverse, we had a presentation about client management software for SVDP.  Not only was it informative, but everyone had some good ideas about using the program and how we -- as a Diocese -- should be using it together.  Much more to do, of course, but it was good...even if I had to drive out the East Side.  Actually, I had been worrying about it all day, but the roads were fine.  I think the last flurries were at four, and they had time to get the roads ready, so it was... surprisingly smooth.

In the meantime, work continues on the bathroom -- all of the backerboard is hung, painting started -- and work was busy for me as well, which is fine. Next week will be busy -- and cold -- as well, which, as I told one of my coworkers, is what they are paying us to be.  Well, the busy, not the cold.

I need to get some reading done, and I need to get some films/documentaries watched.  This weekend might offer some possibilities; my Saturday morning became free, and while I may run some errands, I might decide to let the weather happen and just sit home.  I mean, I like getting out, but if the weather is meh, there is no point is doing that, is there?

An Expert in Grand Strategy Thinks Trump Is on to Something - POLITICO
I am not exactly convinced, but nor am I completely appalled; I am not sure that Greenland is the prize everyone thinks it is, but it does have some significance for it, and it would not be the worst if we had it, instead of... an ostensibly NATO ally, ahem.

Senses and Concerns

Odd; yesterday I felt like crap most of the day, until late, at which time I felt awesome, or at least I couldn't sleep.  The same thing is happening now, which is odd and annoying; also, there are plenty of things I want/have to do tonight.  Alas.  And, of course, work was busy -- in a good way today -- and will be the rest of the week, which is a good thing.  There is also progress to the house; bathroom passed two inspections (electrical and plumbing), the tub is in, the painter is coming tomorrow, and the new lines were installed for the sink and the toilet.  In theory, the inspections being over, we can start with the painting and walls and such.  Of course, I will believe it when I see it, but...I can see where this is going.

Today was busy... in addition to work, there was a big Hunger Network meeting, where all sorts of things were discussed, including potential changes, actual, changes, concerns about the future.  One, demand is up.  Resources are up, albeit not at the rate of costs.  There is talk of not forcing people to reveal their addresses when registering... some people on the West Side (especially where Latino populations are a substantial clientele) are for it, given their fear that the Big Orange police are coming to deport everyone.  There was quite a bit of pushback on this, especially from the East Side locales (mainly African-American) who pointed out there are problems with this, namely people will figure out ways to take advantage of this and run them out of business.  I was vastly amused by all of this, of course.  I realize the liberal bent of most of the people involved, so...

This evening we had a tour of the Olmsted Falls Community Food Pantry, which offers clients the choice to shop for their items.  That's the preferred choice, and it works in a lot of ways.  But... most food pantries that do this are open a couple of times a week, and handle a lot fewer clients than we do (they also have more space, I think).  So there is much to consider, though I think we could do it, and fairly easily; it would be a matter of getting our clients to conform to the new system.  On the way home...well, on the way there I opted to engage the 4-wheel drive, not that it was that bad, but people were driving like idiots, so... so you can imagine my surprise when tried to turn on the 4WD on the way home but I could not.  I hope it is just snow in the adjustment, because if not.... oi.

Biden’s Final Medal Winners Are Accomplished, Admirable — and Proof of His Political Failure - POLITICO
This is a valid point, namely, how could a GOP President give anyone this medal, given the embarrassing company they will be sharing it with?  For all the talk of Rush... the current list is, by and large, mostly shameful.

Brian Kelly claims everyone misinterpreted Notre Dame comments
hahaha!

Why Poor American Kids Are So Likely to Become Poor Adults - The Atlantic
Interesting, but could it also be that the lessons poor children learn prepare them for a life of poverty, due to bad habits/lack of education/indifferent parents?  I do not think we can discount this fully...

Retrenchment and Reform

You know, for the middle of January, it is quite nice out there -- cold but not terribly so, warm enough that the snow is melting, the icicles are dripping...should be like that tomorrow, as well, which will be nice.  I did an Aldi run and it seemed like everyone and their brother was hitting the stores, which is... good.  Less good is my health; didn't sleep well last night, attended a Latino-themed (including cuisine) fundraiser, and between the two... well, my stomach is a little rumbly, I am a little cold and tired, and am I am trying to plow through.  I am doing the pile of laundry, just to try and move around a bit, as well as some cleaning and such.  There will be a big clean after the bathroom is done, but if I can get some of the minor mess out of the house, it would... be nice.  I should try to get to bed early, but I think we all know what will happen there.

 Property tax reforms may address local government inequities.
Is this necessarily a bad thing?  I am not sure that it is.  People feel the need to cut back -- shit costs too much -- and I think it is more than fair to imagine that maybe, just maybe, government is a part of the problem.  If so, then (by cutting it) it is also part of the solution, and that is...more than fair.  Honestly, it should be a combination of cost cuts (including salaries!) and a reduction of services.  The fact of the matter is, we can't afford to do everything, and in consequence something needs to go, especially if people don't want to pay for it.  I always come back to healthcare -- government is completed entwined with it, but no one thinks it is really that better or cheaper.  I mean -- how we will deliver it, how we measure outcomes -- that certainly needs to be fixed!  I don't think money is the solution, either.

Medicaid, ACA, climate measures on GOP chopping block - POLITICO
Speak of the devil!  Like DOGE, I don't think they will do one-tenth of what they want to do, but if they can get that done...well, I will be more than impressed.  And pleased!

Americans Are Tipping Less Than They Have in Years - WSJ
Similarly, this is not a surprise.  It's not that tipping is too high (though it is) but 1) everyone expects it nowadays; and 2) service isn't exactly better (if anything it is worse).  No wants to pay more for that!

Catching Up

Well, that was an exciting football game last night...the Ryan Dan coaching for his job tour continues!  I have to admit, with all of the penalties and self-destruction, you felt that OSU was done, but the defense held just enough, and despite an intermittent run game at best (Woody must be spinning)...well, off to face Notre Dame.  Think not about the carbon emissions to fly these teams across the country...when they are a state apart.

Is it me, or is there less snow out there this morning than expected?  I am not complaining -- I suspect I will get another snow plowing today -- but I expected more, and I think all we got is an extended dusting.  They are saying we might have a melt (barely) in the next couple of days, which would be... nice?  I mean, not that we have feet of snow lining the driveway, but there comes a point when you need a bit less.  Hell, my furnace could use a respite!

Bathroom work progresses... there is a new tub in there.  They were here yesterday, fixing the rusty and leaky drain in the basement; that took a bit of work, and it was odd and interesting to see a flurry of labor at 3PM on a Friday.  Inspections next week (gulp), followed by a bit of an accelerated pace -- two craftsmen here simultaneously, which is a good thing, but it is a small bathroom, so it will be a tight fit.  My sister and I agreed that it is a pain to be living out of my kitchen, but... it will be so worth it.  Hell, when I think about the next stuff I want to do... it is addictive in a way.

Trump transition considering Washington D.C.-area showcase immigration raid in first days of administration
I don't know; I am not opposed to this, but there should be an initial focus on the worst of the lot...and there will also be significant labor disruptions.  I don't think this is being seriously considered, but unless we force native-born Americans (such as SNAP recipients, etc.) into the workplace (and we will need to train them, at the very least, to say nothing of transportation and child care)... we will be worse off than when we began.

Plowing Through

Sad news; one of the founders of the OC is in intensive care and faces a crucial period... the news really hit me hard, because 1) I have known the guy for two decades, almost and 2) It was sort of sudden.  This is not good, of course, and... well, one doesn't really know what to do or say but to offer prayer and sympathies.  And, of course, that he pulls through.  But, I think the thing to do is to just carry on...

Watched most of the Cavs game tonight -- the first time I have watched a pro basketball game in a long time.  It was entertaining, I will give you that.  I guess they have good offenses, but it seems that defense is... highly selective, if you get my drift.  But if the fans want it, so be it, right?

Progress continues on the bathroom -- subfloor down, fan and new wiring installed (never had a fan before!), bottom tub component in, ceiling re-installed, that sort of thing.  Much more to go, of course, but it is pretty cool to see the progress.  I mean, the house is 70 years old, and thus stuff is... well, not exactly up to code, or at least the modern code.  We often joke that in some ways, stuff was built better then; the wood was higher quality, and they are doing very little to frame, unless they absolutely have to.  The subfloor was old and had to be redone, but the floor supports -- nope!  I guess this is good... for all that I joke about a car being replaced piece by piece...well, a slightly older home is in the same boat.

I have been cold all day; some of this is of course that the doors were open for most of the day -- the garage door was, and the workers were trucking through, too.  Nor have I slept all that well, and I can sense that I am tired, and thus cold.   Some glorious day there will be a whole week of much high-quality sleep, but not anytime soon!

It hasn't been a banner week for Democratic politicians; Joe Biden had his presser with the USA Today, Kamala had sad-face on the 6th (never mind that I was forced to watch what was once a formality), and Karen Bass, mayor of LA... well, her performance in the clips has been impressive.  The GOP should call her to Congress (or back) and ask what the hell she was doing, and it would be entertaining at the least...

Digging and Digging

Progress on the bathroom; the electrician came today and there are new lights (no fixtures) and a fan (which I never had before); yesterday the carpenter was there to replace the subfloor, which was 70 years old and showing its age, if you get my drift.  I of course would prefer faster progress, but I know things progress at their own time, and, of course, I should have done this years ago!  Slow and steady works as long as it is done.  

I have to admit, I found it amusing that the President-elect is talking about sending in the tanks to take Greenland, the Panama Canal, etc.; all these new states!  The Gulf of America?  Who knew?  More seriously, this muscular foreign policy is showing everyone that a new sheriff is in town, and while I do not exactly think we will buying Greenland soon, I am less troubled by this than a lot of other people...

About halfway through The Princes in the Tower, and I am finally getting to the good stuff, if you will; namely, that by looking at Continental European sources (stuff literally dug out from the archives in the Low Countries), the princes -- Edward V and Richard, Duke of York -- made it to the continent and tried to regain their throne.  I haven't finished the book, but the fact that there are printed sources out there...well, that is pretty cool.  Obviously, they need to look for more, but given the... highly suspicious nature of Henry VII, if you get my drift, it would not have been surprising that he would suppressed any evidence about this, no matter what...

Running About

Dare I say that I do not exactly feel well?  Odd... didn't sleep well last night (or long), capped off by, while walking up the steps from going to the bathroom, I just felt...nauseous and lightheaded.  I made it up the stairs, had some water, then had a snack (the low blood sugar alarm was going off), and felt better, but...anyways, I was certainly feeling the lack of sleep today.  But, that did not stop me from having a full day (also why I feel like crap).  Mass, the OC for a bit, gym (back and shoulders), a friend's brunch, Communion and house blessing with my Polish friend in Edgewater, then off to deliver the last Christmas present (the look on my friend's son' face was immeasurable), and then I decided to do a gym double (I am fat), so legs and a good cardio ride, then dinner at Mission BBQ (I had a coupon).  It was good, then I came home.  Rah.  Now I have just crashed; stomach a little rumbly and a bit fatigued, so early to bed (I hope).  On the other hand, what good is life if it is not lived to the fullest?

Is it me, or are the latest round of Presidential Medal of Freedom winners...embarrassing, even for Dems?  I mean, if the least objectionable ones are Jane Goddall and the dead people... and, no one on the GOP -- or very few -- are calling this out publicly.  I mean, the Sunday shows should have had a drumbeat of them -- calling out their failures, their corruption, their divisiveness -- but crickets.  Again, they should be used as evidence of Biden's mental decline -- to be aired at every Congressional hearing, followed by calling up every reporter who didn't report on this.  But they won't.  Sigh.

I think discretion will be the better part of valor and my streak of documentary watching will end.  Last night I watched one about Oscar Micheaux, the African-American filmmaker -- mainly silents, but also some talkies.  Quite interesting -- almost no one knows about him, but he was incredibly important, and his films do hold up (I have seen but 4, a discredit upon myself!), even now... and of course, he was making films when few African-Americans were doing so, and covering topics that no one else did...

Feeling Behind

 Got a late start this morning -- slept in a bit, handled some correspondence, and it turned out that errands didn't begin until 10.  Funny, with no OC duty...well, I can get a lot of stuff done!  Good workout at the gym -- much needed, and I need to hit it harder, then the bank, the library, Kohl's for track pants, a couple of grocery stores (I do love my Aldi runs), and then home.  Dare I say -- as I told my teller this morning -- that some of the people on the roads should not have been on them?  On the one hand, they were mostly good, on the other, with the snow largely stopped, shouldn't they be perfect?  OK, maybe not, given that there were still flurries about til a couple of hours ago.  Anyways, it was almost three by time I was finally home and had put everything away, save for the track pants, which I left in the car.  Oops.

Bit odd, as I definitely feel myself dragging now; probably a mix of not enough rest, extra hustle and bustle, and a lack of caffeinated beverages (just two so far).  I do need to fix that; I have some more stuff I want to do, watch another documentary, read some more, etc.  Tomorrow is Sunday and then a full week of work, which will really make the transition to 2025 -- in so far as we have one -- complete.  I have to admit, I have been getting rid of bookmarks, and the email inbox is slightly emptier than usual, which is... well, to me, good!

Cutting Government Is Easy... If You Go After McKinsey
I just read the McKinsey book, so this is timely.  I don't think they will, but we should.  Nothing would impress me more if we actually cut some spending; I mean, we in the GOP talk about it all the time, but we never do it, and I know we have a narrow majority, but it is a majority in both houses, so...

‘You Guys Are Screwing It All Up’: Trump Quashes Revolt Against Speaker Johnson | RealClearPolitics
Dare I say that Trump is correct, and if it took him to get on the phone and crack heads... so be it.  I really think he wants to implement as much of the GOP agenda as possible, and it cannot be done unless we have a Speaker -- with freedom to operate -- and time to get it done.

Ohio Lt. Gov. Jon Husted emerges as the late favorite for Vance's Senate seat
Interesting.  I didn't think he wanted the job -- he could have had it at any time -- but maybe between the President getting involved and the fact that he doesn't actually have to run for election for a while...well, I can see it.  It would shuffle the deck on the gubernatorial succession, but that might not be a bad thing.

A politically diverse church aims to stay united in a polarized era - The Washington Post
Interesting, but...as I like to say, I deal with idiots all the time, and at the end of the day, there are some places where I want to be free of morons, and Sunday morning might just be one of those times.

A Sense of Progress

Progress continues on the bathroom!  It looks pretty stripped in there now, actually; everything seems to be out, including much of the drywall -- pretty much just studs now.  Carpenter will come Monday to finish the demo and start on the next steps, mainly adjusting the exposed studs (where the pony wall was) and rebuilding some of the framework around the shower and the ceiling.  I guess this is good; I am not tired yet of going downstairs to use the bathroom, as if anything, I am fat and need the steps!  

My plans for tomorrow were cancelled, and this is...fine.  Funny; I have been home the past two days -- Thursday I wasn't feeling well and thus skipped the gym and stayed in, even getting a bit more sleep.  Today, of course, I wasn't going anywhere due to the weather; I mean, it was coming down a few times today (my driveway was plowed, even!), and I decided that discretion was the better part of valor.  My Mom used to complain when she didn't get out for a few days, and I can see that, as I now feel the same way (sort of); I want to get an Aldi run in, I want to hit the grocery store, maybe a few other errands, to say nothing of the gym.  And do some contract work... and, of course, maybe watch some films.  

Today's film was "The Lost King," about the discovery of the remains of Richard III.  Quite good -- basically he was found by an amateur historian who -- derided by everyone in the profession -- did the legwork and tracked down some of the possible places he ended up.  Also told in the film is the revisionist history of Richard III -- not a hunchback, maybe not so evil as put out by Shakespeare and others, etc.  Funny; I watched the PBS special about the historian's next cause -- what happened to the Princes in the Tower -- and lo and behold, the next book on the pile is hers about this (hint:  she thinks they lived).  Awesome, even if people are not as sold on this.  I need to finish my current tome today, not only to get some reading done, but to start the next one.

The Speaker vote today....is it me, or was this a bit of unnecessary drama?  I mean, we really don't have the votes for this, and with POTUS behind Johnson... I do get the point that the "rebels" have about cutting deals with Dems, cutting spending, etc., but I think the man has done the best he could, and now, with the narrow GOP majority, we might be able to achieve some things.  I don't necessarily things are better, but I would like to think the gravity of the situation, if you will, will impel them to do things -- and to be smart about doing them.  

Smashing Successes

New year!  Back to work!  It was good; I caught up on some things, did some document reading, made some comments, did some research, and got ready to do some detail work tomorrow.  Also, demo continued on the bathroom -- the toilet is gone, the tub and shower are gone, much of the walls are gone, the ceiling and the soffit are gone.  The carpenter will be here tomorrow to remove -- safely -- what needs to go for improvements and such - for instance, they had a pony wall where the stud is (that projects out), so that needs to be addressed.  I was talking with the crew and they were telling me things -- oddities of 50s construction that work better than the modern stuff -- which of course I duly noted.  The only downside was the cold -- they were taking stuff outside, the garage was open all day -- and I could feel it.  I just hope it gets done soon, given my impatience.

Journos who joined gaslighting on Biden's decline should never live it down
Yes, this should happen.  Will it?  I doubt it, though it would be awesome if some GOP politico started quoting what they said about Biden during an interview and put them through the ringer.  Congressional hearings -- we have a majority tomorrow, in theory -- would be even better, but of course I am not holding out for that. 

Watched another documentary today:  "Conqueror:  American Fallout," which is about a few things at once -- the results of nuclear testing on people -- not only residents of Utah and their future generations, but also the cast and the crew of "The Conqueror," the John Wayne as Genghis Khan clunker.  It was quite interesting, mainly because 1) the US government had to be dragged into admitting they poisoned and lied to their own people and 2) even they actors on the film realized something went wrong...now, they did mention that everyone smoked -- a lot, in some cases -- and that could be a source of cancer; indeed, I think a lot of them felt that, but the fact that no one thought to warn/alert/prevent this... well, the swamp cannot be drained soon enough.

One thing I am missing (for now); one, I am brushing my teeth over the kitchen sink because I am too lazy (not really) to go downstairs.  Two, I usually change into my night clothes in the bathroom (the warmest room in the house) but as that is a war zone... we change in the bedroom, and it is a bit nippy!  I always think of Thomas Jefferson waking up and putting his feet in a bucket of ice water every day... then I think of into what else he was dipping, and I decide that he might not be the best role model.  Of course, he was a Democrat...

Duck Soup

And here we are in 2025!  Very exciting.  Sunday vibe today -- woke up early, went to Mass (Holy Day of Obligation, reminds the public school graduate), gym, couple of friends, my sister's for lunch, then home, but I stopped to clean the garage and make some room for the work crews for the bathroom; basically they want space for storing stuff (and maybe work) so I moved some of the random crap on the left side of the garage.  Some empty boxes to be taken to the recycling bins or used here, some crap to be thrown away... eventually I got cold and stopped, but I will do a bit tomorrow.  Funny; I have been talking about cleaning the garage for a while -- time, effort, practicality being reasons against -- but now I can do at least the basics.  Ok, slothful, not funny, but...

I got home -- if you will -- to watch the Buckeyes, and, like everyone else in Ohio (and elsewhere), I had to ask... where was this against Michigan?  I mean, I do not have psychotic obsession some fans do -- my team beats their rivals sometimes -- but it was glaring, jarring, and simply to consider what this team has done recently...mind you, Michigan -- playing backups, it seems -- beat Alabama, capping off a good week for the Big Ten against the SEC and quenching (for three days) the discussion that 'Bama should have been in the playoff.  It could be that on some level Ryan Day is coaching for his job, and that is...good.

I watched a documentary about "Freaks and Geeks" last nite, and it was quite good and interesting.  I remember watching the show -- intermittently -- in college, and on the one hand, I was like "Gee, I should watch it all again," as it certainly had star power, and I remember liking it.  On the other hand, I have more than enough to watch as it is!  Then I got to thinking that two of the shows I liked -- "Arrested Development" and then "Freaks and Geeks" -- were not exactly network favorites.  This says something about me, I am sure.  I guess the one network president was correct -- some shows, good as they may be, should not be on network television.

Another documentary I watched tonight was "This Is Not Financial Advice,: which basically follows a bunch of people who trade in crypto, and the... vast swings and lifestyle changes it brings.  It was interesting, though my thoughts were 1) If people want to gamble away their money, we should let them, as we do for casinos, booze, and cigarettes; and 2) I guess I do not have the stones to weather the ups and downs, and that is ok.

The idea that the latest terrorist attack was done by an American... on the one hand, I think we all know that Trump is going to run with this, and to be sure, we do need to secure the border...and this will make it easier for him to do so, and ban Muslims, and all of the greatest hits from term one.  On the other hand...something is wrong if Americans are going over to ISIS, and I am not sure how we can cure that.