The What-Ifs

I didn't blog last nite; rather, I was in bed right at 11, and must have fallen asleep soon thereafter.  Woke up at 6 to pee, thought about staying awake, but instead slept for another half hour, and it was glorious.  I mean, I haven't slept that long -- or well -- in a while, and I felt it today.  Now of course we are back to our usual ways -- I nodded off a bit after J!, and am up now catching on things.  I really should have forced myself to bed at 11, but things and life intervene.  Alas.

He’s back: Biden returns to the campaign conversation, backing two former advisers | Semafor
This is odd.  Very odd.  Ok, I can see how in a blue district this could be an asset, but anywhere else... most odd.

I have been listening to the full nine hours of the Civil War Battlefield Trust's history of the Battle of Chancellorsville, recorded in 2023 for the 160th anniversary.  Interesting, of course.  More to the point, the one point often made is that Joe Hooker should never have lost that battle, and that is 100% correct.  Indeed, at every day of the battle, he made ALL the wrong decisions to lose it.  Even on May 3, he could decided to stay and fight, force Lee to unite his divided (and outnumbered!!) army, and even accounting for the genius of Lee (without Stonewall Jackson)....well, it is a tough order.  We will never know, of course, what he was thinking, but it is quite odd that the man of all his confidence, if you get my drift, really funked out at such a critical time.  He really did build the army that won at Gettysburg, and did fairly well (for a while) in the Atlanta Campaign, but... 

Duke Blue Devils' $20 million roster: How top recruits and transfers will impact next season
Let's hope $20M can pay for someone who can get out of a double-team, right?

Catching Up

Another long and shameful hiatus, so let's get to work and catch everyone up... Friday was the Four Eagles Dinner, our high-end parish fundraiser.  Lots of changes -- new caterer and new venue, the Bohemian National Home on Broadway and 49th.  I had been inside there only once, and not extensively; we were upstairs in the ballroom, and it is quite beautiful -- I can see having the event there every year.  The dinner was... good?  I mean, it wasn't as good as when our parish caterer did it, but I fully expected that, so... I mean, they had a full app table (borscht, kielbasa, stuffed mushrooms, cold meats), a Warsaw salad, decent entrees, kremovskie, and, for those interested, an open bar, including the parish hooch.  I ended up staying longer than expected and had a good time, so....

Saturday was OC duty.  We had just enough volunteers -- we could have used one more person in the back, to move carts, though I ended up helping to fill that role during quiet times at the front -- and the count was 148, a bit low, considering all that is going on with the economy and all.  But it was calm and fine -- the pain in the rear clients were few and far between, the freezers were mostly empty, and it was  mainly good.  Then errands and home to catch up on things; that took a good deal more than I expected -- catching up on emails, reading stuff, etc. But it was good, as we all know how I value those things.

Sunday was May Crowning, and while we did not release the rose petals -- not til the last Mass of the day, sigh -- it was still pretty enough.  Then it was gym, a few errands, Communion to my friend in West Par k, and then home to catch up on some work.  Mission accomplished, largely; I finished a few projects to get them off the plate for the week.  Things have been coming in hot and steady and it was good!

Yesterday I skipped the OC Board meeting (tomorrow I get a full recap) and instead went to a birthday dinner at Cleveland Chop House for my friend Mike, one of the sous chefs for our parish caterer.  It was quite good -- I had the steak au poivre, cheddar mash, and corn bread, and it was almost perfect (albeit a bit pricey).  Funny; I expected a big crowd and pricey parking by the place (off West 9th) due to the Cavs game, so I parked by CSU and hoofed it 30 blocks to the restaurant.  I paid $10 and change... but was slightly miffed to discover that parking was $20.  I could use the exercise, to be sure, but... 

And today was work and a trip to Lakewood for a haircut (also skipping a meeting).  I heard on the way there about the KFC bucket deal - 8 pieces for $10 -- and I was like "Gee, I should get that" as it has been a long time since I had the colonel.  I went to the one in Royalton and it was...closed, permanently, so next week it is.  My arteries, at least, rejoice. 

Wakefulness

Here I am, coughing up a storm, not exactly feeling better, but awake and blogging.  To be sure, I nodded off a bit before... one thing (two) I was able to do is go through the email pile and answer/handle a bunch.  I also sent out some things -- reports from Downtown, food pantry stuff, etc. - to both the East District parishes (for SVDP) and the OC Board.  I need to do a budget, I have other paperwork to handle, but... it looks cleaner both on my table and in my inbox.  Rah.

John Calipari offers up a very respectable take on NCAA Tournament expanding to 76 teams | OutKick
Dare I say I agree with the guy?  (The globe shudders.)  More seriously, he is 100% correct, and it would be nice if more coaches would speak out about this.  I realize they will not -- a mid-major getting in means that a 15th-place SEC team does not - but if he can do it...

USDA Tightens Rules on Which Stores Accept SNAP - NOTUS — News of the United States
Is this a bad thing?  Forcing stores to carry healthier food -- not that a lot of people will buy it -- and not covering junk food are hardly bad things.  I am fascinated that anyone thinks to the contrary.  I will also note that RFK was at the City Club today, and... I don't want to say that I am impressed, but the whole time I was thinking that much of what he was saying now is quite good and should be done.  It's the other stuff that is the issue, and I cannot help but think we could have found someone more MAHA without the baggage.

Why it’s still JD Vance | Semafor
Is this a bad thing?  I don't think it is, but...2028 is still a long way away, if you get my drift.

Lazarus

As always, I need to post more.  Last night I ended up falling asleep on the hallway floor (laying down is a sure sign that I am sabotaging my self-productivity) and woke up at 2:20 with the lights on.  This would be fine, but I clearly have a cold -- coughing and sniffles galore -- and I should be sleeping more, but there is simply too much to do, and I have done enough it.  It is the silly season at work, and that doesn't help, but...  let's not discuss the pile of J! episodes on the Tivo, either.

I voted yesterday -- bright and early, as I had an MD appointment.  Not too bad; to be sure, with no school levies on the ballots, and just the candidates, it was fill in the blanks and go home.  Everything seemed to go as expected -- certainly no surprises to me -- and I am interested to see how this race for governor turns out.  I would think she should be assailed off the planet for her role in the shutdowns, but that is me.

In a month I will be 48.  Not only is the year (and my life) flying by, but 47 was... mostly good?  Fixed my house some, paid some bills, read some books, etc.  It is just unsettling to see how far even a pedestrian year goes...

How Tim McCormack Got Caught Up in the Jontay Porter Scandal

Interesting.  I guess I should say that I can how people thought this was a good idea, but I cannot fathom how anyone can think of such a thing now.  Of course, blessed are those who see and believe.

GOP allies warn White House its positive economic message is falling flat - POLITICO
Of course we should go negative, because it works, though I am not sure that is the case this year; unless oil prices fall (preferably sharply and soon) I predict it will be "Blue By You" in every sense of the words.

The Party With the Nazi Tattoo – Commentary Magazine
The GOP Is Holding a Bombshell on Graham Platner: ‘He’ll Have to Leave the State’ – PJ Media
This could be me, but if there is something worse out there about the guy (I am thinking it is a case of "I'll take the rapists for $800), wouldn't the Democrats have found it?  Unless it is dejected Mills supporter who is holding on to it... of course, the Collins camp may decide that they too can wait, but if this is a blue wave, again, it might not matter.

Inside the Quiet Republican Effort to Flip Fetterman - POLITICO
Do we want the guy?  If the option is majority or no, then I guess so, but... good Lord, he is like the Kennedys, save for he hasn't killed anyone yet -- and not for lack of trying.  He misses votes, he is Bidenesque in cognition... these are dark days.  Sigh.

Checking in

Long weekend...but good.  Friday night I was up late and could not sleep, which is... par for the course.  Anyways, Saturday was OC duty, and it was...surprisingly calm?  Only had 149 clients -- we all expected 165 -- and after the morning rush it was pretty steady but not terribly busy.  Could be the weather -- it was sleeting a bit, I kid you not -- but it was fine.  Plenty of volunteers, enough stuff to give away, lots of clothing went... it was pleasant.

Today we had Mass for my grandparents (Mom's side) so my aunt, uncle, and cousin joined us.  At breakfast after we chatted about things -- namely, my uncle has a half-sister he never knew about.  His father had a child from his first wife, no one knew about, but she used the websites to discover this.  Odd how people can find these things out -- but it is cool.  We discussed how back then, people just didn't talk about things like that, and that was that -- even if you asked, there wouldn't be an answer.  You would think I would be more interested in this but... my love of history only goes so far, I guess.

Young New Yorkers Have a New Hot Spot: Sunday Mass - WSJ
I still think this is pretty cool, though of course I wonder where this was when I was that age...missed it coming and going, the story of my life.

I think all of the hecticness and the lack of sleep has caught up with me as I now have a cold... sigh.  I mean, it is not too bad yet but I feel it now... Oi.  At least the Cavs won, and the city can breathe easier for a few days...

Intractable

Another long day -- a good day, but a long one nonetheless.  I had our quarterly District Presidents' meeting for SVDP today, and one of the things we discussed was the increasing number of calls for help we are getting.  I was of two tracks -- on the one hand, yes, we have to help as many people as we can, but on the other hand, we don't quite have the resources to do this.  It was mentioned that we could spent ALL our money this week and next week the call volume would be worse!  I do not have a solution for this, but while everyone wants to help...a lot of our parishes (especially mine) can't carry the load themselves.  I don't think we can carry it all together, as well.  Much of this is outside of what we do -- the economy, systemic poverty, etc.  To be sure, maybe it is something we should try to do...

The Voting Rights Act is now a ‘dead letter’ after latest Supreme Court decision - POLITICO
This is pretty big!  There is the whole Act II of redistricting (it worked so well for us the first time, so let's do it again), but I also think there is something to be said that we are NOT the same society as we were in the 60s.  Indeed, you can say that it is a little offensive to assume that we have not evolved.  I realize getting rid of the whole kit and caboodle is a no-go, but maybe it should be...

The Morning Briefing: Brandon Gill Gives a Master Class on Questioning an Abortion Ghoul – PJ Media
This is brutally effective, and we need more of it!

The Jevons Employment Effect From AI | The Daily Spark
This is interesting but if you think of it not that surprising.  It is just that the transition is difficult for people on the other end of the spear; true we didn't need that many blacksmiths after the car was mainstreamed, but what did we do with them while it happened?  Again, there are a host of problems that I don't know how to solve, but it is a bit irregular, to put it mildly, to not have a plan for them.

Popping Up

Yet another hiatus, so...let's fill in.  Thursday night I was just tired -- long day of work -- and then I went to bed early.  Friday night I did not go to bed early.  Continuing with the theme of the long week, I decided to treat myself to a night out and went to Mahall's in Lakewood for Emo Night.  It was only $10 -- not too bad -- and despite the rain I found a close parking spot.  And...it was glorious.  All of the favorites from back in the day.  The only problem was that I closed the place -- 2 AM -- and did not get to bed until almost 3.

This was an issue, as I had OC duty the next (the same) morning.  Thankfully, it was not too bad -- 121 clients.  We were a little short of volunteers, so I was moving around -- in front, packing bags, a bit of everything.  It was nice to do that, and as the crowd was quiet and below par, it was good.  Then gym, errands, home a bit, and then I met some friends for dinner.  It was funny; everyone was discussing their favorite restaurant, I really didn't have one, and they wondered why not...I dunno, I guess I am cheap and prefer to eat in.  I could not help but note that not only were my friends on a first-name basis with the servers, but also the bartenders, leading me to wonder if they were also alcoholics.  :)

Sunday was fine -- Mass, gym, errands, and then home for some work.  Took a nice long walk -- it was quite the beautiful day -- and tried to be productive, but I was tired and crashed.  Sort of the same yesterday, and here I am now; a bit tired but not enough to hit the hay.  Oi.

Coalition repairs, red-meat speeches and personnel moves: The White House jumps into midterms mode - POLITICO
Um, I would say that they have much to be concerned with, and I am not sure that meetings alone will solve it.
Everyone Is Lying to You About the Palestinians
You would think that if the press doesn't do this, people would do it for them, but, of course, they do not.  

Capital control: States strip power from cities, counties - POLITICO
Interesting that both sides are doing it now; I always thought of this as a GOP thing, but if Dems are doing it... they really can't complain about it later.  OK, they will, but...  funny thing is you can easily see why the GOP wants to do it, as the blue areas do weigh us down on reform efforts.  So culling them and force-feeding the issue is not, to me, unwise.