Me and Lisa in Hearts: Happy New Year!

I've never played a game of Hearts online around New Year's, so these party hats were a little bit of a surprise. They give us festive hats for different holidays. At first though I was alarmed. Lisa's hat looks like Tron, and for a second I thought Tron had infiltrated the game and was trying to steal her mind. Don't take my Lisa! Bless her heart, she'll always be stuck in 8-bit world. At least I can visit. 

 This is my chance. These party hats are new to me, and I'm sure everybody will be in a festive mood. Lisa might even have a glass of champagne. She doesn't drink much so I doubt she'd have more than a glass or two. She won't be wasted but she might be a little tipsy, and since it's New Year's that's okay. This'll be fun!

 I'm gonna do it this year. Just before midnight tonight I'll log on to wish everyone a Happy New Year. I can use the fact that Lisa's hat looks like it's from Tron as an icebreaker. I'm not sure if she's old enough to know about that movie but if she does, she'll laugh. As soon as we're together on the scoreboard I'm gonna make my move. I'm going to wish her Happy New Year, and lean in for a kiss. Wish me luck. Happy New Year Lisa, Bill and Mike, and the planet in general! 

Almost Giving My Mom a Heart Attack

It's funny the things you think you'd forgotten, or maybe forgotten you remembered...I was thinking about the times I've been flying in small planes, and I remembered the first time I flew in a stunt plane. What was crazier even than doing stunts in a stunt plane was the fact that for some reason my mom decided to come along to watch, and they almost had to carry her away on a stretcher.

 My dad had all these flying buddies, and one of them had a stunt plane. I want to say it was a Luscombe, somewhat similar to the one in this image, but it was a real stunt plane in that it had a pressurized oil system so that the plane could fly inverted for extended periods without losing oil to the engine. 

 I was 10 or 11. In my teens I flew in several different planes, but I think my first flight ever was in the stunt plane. Way to get broken-in, right? Actually I may have flown in the glider first, but even that was gnarly. You'd get towed to about 3,000' by a tow plane and then the cable would be released and you'd catch thermals and rise to around 10,000'. Gliding is mostly done in Summer so you can catch thermals, so the pilot left the canopy off. You'd have your elbow hanging over the side like you were in a Jeep or something, only you were at 10,000'. 

 Since there was no engine, the only sound was the wind. Pilots will look for hawks and other birds catching thermals and head in that direction. The way it works is simple. The pilot puts the plane into a tightly-banked spiral turn. The warm rising air exerts more lift on whichever wing is pointing down, and as long as the plane is kept in a corkscrew turn it will naturally rise. When you get to the desired height you can fly level, but you'll slowly lose altitude, and have to catch another thermal if you want to stay aloft. 

 Theoretically you could fly coast-to-coast without landing and without an engine, as long as you could find enough thermals along the way. We'd stay in the air for a couple hours usually, and we caught thermals and repeated the spiral thing several times. What's cool is the same way pilots look for birds catching thermals, birds look for planes too. Many times we'd be flying and various birds would head our way and park just off the wingtips and fly along with us, like an escort. That was cool. 

 I'm almost positive that the stunt plane was my first flight though. Just because it's a stunt plane doesn't mean of course that it has to do stunts, and the pilot flew it normally at first, with maybe a few tight turns, I guess to make sure I wasn't going to erf all over the interior of his plane. When he knew I was cool he let it rip. All I can say is that since then there's never been a single ride at the fair or Disneyworld or Six Flags or anywhere else that can faze me. 

 I can't remember every stunt he did, other than in general flying the plane like most aren't meant to fly, but a few stand out. He started with the traditional loop-de-loop, which was a thrill, but that was nothing. He was flying level, but then he whipped the plane over into a half-rotation, and all of the sudden we were flying upside-down. I just started laughing. That was interesting. 

 The coolest thing to me was the "falling leaf" thing or whatever it was. He went into a steep 45-degree bank, held it in that position and cut the engine. The plane flew straight for a bit but then it started falling, except that he was making the plane swoop back and forth in an upward arc while falling, just like a leaf. I didn't know a plane could do that.

 But the most adrenaline-producing stunt, and what almost gave my poor mom a heart attack...I don't know if it was called anything, was when he pointed the plane straight up and took off like a rocket. He cut the engine, and the plane continued up for a few seconds, but then it came to a complete stop, pointing straight up, in midair. For a second or two we experienced zero gravity, which was a thrill. 

 But that was just the going up part. The plane flopped over and started heading nose-first toward the ground, and for extra kicks he put it into a tight "death spiral." Oh, and the engine was still off. He restarted the plane in plenty of time but kept diving, with the engine roaring just like in the movies, and then at around 1,000' feet or so he pulled out of the dive. 

 As much as it thrilled me and set off every chemical my brain could release, it wasn't quite so much fun for my mom. She's never been one to panic very often, but bless her heart that particular stunt almost made her swoon, according to reports from the ground. I could see her clearly, and I could tell from way up that she didn't look happy, but there wasn't anything I could do about it, and I wasn't about to tell him to quit. The problem was that she thought he'd lost control of the plane, and that we were about to crash. 

 Bless her ding-dang heart: I can understand. It certainly felt authentic from inside the plane, so I can imagine what it looked like from the ground. Too bad nobody filmed it. I knew that even if the engine didn't restart, and the plane was designed for that not to happen, it could still be flown and landed like a glider so I wasn't worried at all, but mom almost had an event. 

 I've always thought that as brutal as it was for her, and if I'd known how much she'd be traumatized, and how crazy the stunts would be, I'd have told her not to come, it was a good thing in the long run. I think it probably desensitized her just a bit to the stunts I'd pull on the ground in later years. You also have to consider I guess, that being on the ground and being 10,000' in the air are two different things. In any case she was banned from all future stunt plane flights, as if she'd have wanted to go. I'm glad she didn't have to see me crash.

 As far as I was concerned, flying several times in the stunt plane as a kid no doubt increased my fearlessness a tad, and probably contributed to my being a Type-A adventure-seeker. As far as my mom was concerned, it took a Coke on ice and several people fanning her and supporting her on each side to keep her vertical. For me it was both chills and thrills, but for her I guess it was just chills. Sorry about that mom, but it was for your own good. 

Spirit of Christmas?

I found the perfect image for this post. I was wondering what to use, and almost without even thinking I picked up my grandmother Booie's Bible and this fell out. She didn't write in her Bible or turn down corners, but she marked pages with whatever piece of paper was handy, which became memorabilia of her life...oil change receipts, recipes, photos and what have you. This charming homemade card with a wisemen sticker is probably from the 60s or early 70s, and it literally fell into my lap.

 So, will 2023 finally be the year that more people will experience the "Spirit of Christmas," aka the "meaning" of Christmas, whatever that is? This year I've heard a lot of people say things like "Yeah, we're gonna take it easy this year and be grateful for what we have." It sounds good, but what they're really saying is "We're broke." I have though heard a few people say it and I think they really mean it, again, whatever "it" is. 

 I'll be in as much of that headspace as possible. If things continue as they're going, this will likely be my mom's last Christmas with us, and for a day or two we weren't sure if she'd be here for this one. As if that's not enough, my dog was gone for two days and I was trying not to lose what's left of my mind. Thank God and my friend Laura I got him back. All I'll be thinking of is my loved ones. Plus I'm also broke. 

 So if it's even a thing, what is the "Spirit of Christmas," or the "meaning of Christmas?" For a long time it's been a celebration of the birth of Jesus, to some people. Some will say that there's nothing to it at all, and they'd have a valid point. December 25th is almost certainly not the actual birth of Christ. It is a Pagan holiday however, and based on ancient holidays and rituals and such, which have nothing to do with the basic ideas of "Christianity." 

 Some say the whole thing is a fairy tale from an old book of parables, which has nothing to do with us directly today, and they may be right. The Bible was written by people after all, although some believe that the writing was basically dictated by God. These days more people don't believe in Christ than do, and if things go according to what the book says, that will increase, but then again it says that others will turn to Him. I believe in the Biblical narrative and that Christ is my personal savior, but as always, what do I know? I could be dead-wrong. 

 But what if people want to leave all of that out of it, and just celebrate a holiday in general, but still want to observe "Christian-esque" ideals, such as the spirit of giving, family. friends and such? There's nothing wrong with that, and enjoy! Is it really better to give than receive? My parents and all my family in general thought so, and luckily a bit rubbed off on me. This year I ain't got nothing to give but love. That's as cliche as it gets. 

 For what it's worth, what I can do is pray for comfort and healing to those who'll be spending their first Christmas without a loved one. Even if you don't pray, just thinking of them has a positive effect. If you want to give of yourself, there are millions of volunteer things we can do. You can always just call an old friend or family member you haven't spoken with in a while. Driving around looking at lights was always about as cool as anything about Christmas to me. 

 Some people know that the 25th is almost certainly not the birth of Jesus but they celebrate it on that day anyway, and some know that the idea of having a tree is for the most part a Pagan thing, but they have a tree anyway. In any case I've heard more people mention the Christmas Spirit, and observing it or searching for it, whatever it may mean to them. I hope they find it, if indeed they're looking for it. Maybe it will find them. 

Rock Trivia: Science (SCIENCE) Edition (Magnus Pyke)

I was listening to Thomas Dolby's masterpiece "She Blinded Me with Science" (SCIENCE) for the millionth time this morning, and it gets better each time, when I learned something cool. Actually I knew it but I'd forgotten. 

 Magnus Pyke, who did voiceovers in the song and also played the elderly scientist, and head of the "Home for Deranged Scientists" in the classic video for the tune, was an actual scientist. He was a nutritional scientist and he worked for the British government. 

 He's also been my hero for over four decades since the song and vid came out. He hammed it up for the camera just a bit and it was perfect. He did spoken word parts, including repeating the title, saying "Good Heavens, Miss Sakamoto...you're beautiful!" but more importantly saying one word- "Science! (SCIENCE)." 

 I loved the song when it first came out and then I fell in love with him when I saw the video. Each time he says "science" (SCIENCE) he uses a different vocal inflection and it's just fantastic. It makes me really happy, sometimes so much so that I actually get a little misty, due to the sheer joy of music. That's nuts but that's music.

 He's also responsible for a disease I have which happens to be the only known case in the world- SDTS, or Selective Dolby-Tourette Syndrome. It's a rather bizarre condition where every time I see or hear the word "science" (SCIENCE) I feel compelled to type it in caps or say it in Mr. Pyke's voice or both.

 It's certainly not a debilitating condition, and if it happens in public I can make a joke out of it, at least to people old enough to remember the song, but with the amount of research I do every day it happens fairly often. There's no known cure and it doesn't bother me. I think it's funny, and it gives me a lift since I love the tune. If there's no one around to make you laugh, you have to do it yourself.

 I knew that Dolby had programmed most or all of the drums for this song and the record it was on. For the record as it were, when he programmed the drums he didn't use any crash cymbals or hi-hat, which leaves more room in the mix. Instead of a hi-hat part he added an offbeat cowbell, which adds a brilliant touch. The synth-bass part follows the drum part precisely, making the song super tight, yet somehow it still swings. Maybe that's due to the "legato-ness" of the keys but I'm not sure.

 I'm almost positive he toured this live back in the day with a real drummer, playing on Simmons electronic drums, the ones that look like stop signs and were on nearly every music video on MTV from the 80s. More trivia, and again I'm 99% certain, is that this song introduced the Simmons sound, which was sort of "rubber-bandy," to Pop music. Everyone had them for a while. 

 I Wiki'd the song to see if there was a drummer listed on the album, which I didn't think there was, and I followed the link to Mr. Pyke. Leave it to Thomas Dolby to get a real scientist. It did ring a bell that I'd heard that he was a real guy, but I didn't know anything about him. He was already old in the video, and he passed in 1992 at age 83. He had to have been a character up until the end. I mean...a British scientist, who was in a hit MTV video no less...what else do you want?

 It's a shame he didn't live long enough to see the internet and have his own YouTube channel. I'd have been his first subscriber. Scientist or not, his voice, and look in the video are absolutely perfect. God bless him.

 Learn something new every day, and when you can combine two of my favorite things- music and science (SCIENCE), it's a bonus. Although I'm the only known individual with SDTS, there must be countless people who'll never forget Mr. Pyke's contribution to Pop music, and thanks Mr. Dolby! RIP Mr. Pyke. Thanks for your service. Your voice is burned forever into my brain, and for that I'm grateful.

You can learn more about Magnus Pyke >HERE.

The classic video is >HERE.

 

 
 

Me and Lisa in Hearts: Holiday Edition

It must be that time of year again, because when I go online to play Hearts or Spades, we all have on our Santa hats. I think Lisa looks really cute in hers. I have to say that I've had a digital crush on Lisa for quite some time now. She's been my opponent to the East for several years now, whether we're playing Hearts or Spades. 

 I used to love to play Spades with actual humans, and I play online sometimes. I play both but mostly I play Hearts. It's a quirkier game to me. I've played it on other sites but once I discovered Lisa, I always play the same site. She never says much...I think she's shy...but she's really nice, and she has a great smile. She shows up on time and she's always in a good mood. I tried to be professional, but I've gotten a little thing for her. 

 All this time we've only made small talk. I wish I could get up the nerve to ask her out, but so far it's just been casual. I think she'd make a great girlfriend, plus she's fine. Being fine doesn't always mean being a great girlfriend, but she's sweet as pie. In our little get-together I'd be the only logical choice for her to date anyway. The other two players, Bill and Mike, are both happily married. Lisa and I are single. I did tell her this year that she looks cute in her hat, and I think she blushed a little. 

 When you lose a hand, your copacetic expression turns to a frowny face. I hate to see Lisa sad. This time of year I call it her Grinchy face. The thing is, it only lasts about a second, and she's back to her usual happy self in time for the next hand. She's a trooper. She really checks most of the boxes I look for in a gal. 

 Bill's a good guy. He's the general manager of a Piggly Wiggly supermarket here in town. His wife is named Doris and she works in produce. They have three kids, and one is just entering college. Her name is Glenda. You don't hear that name very often these days. She got a music scholarship to Berklee. I think that's great and Bill is really proud of her. 

 When we play Spades, Bill is my partner and sits opposite to me. He's a great partner. He never cheats and he never makes mistakes, plus he has a great poker face. He always greets me with a cheery "Hi there, partner!" "S'up, Bill?" 

 

 Mike is West. He's a good guy too. He opened several KFCs in his area and he makes a lot of money. He does a lot of charity work and he has plenty of time to play cards. He has two daughters in high school, and he says they're good girls but they're a handful. I tell him that if it were me, on date nights I'd be sitting out on the front porch, cleaning my shotgun when their dates arrived to pick them up. He always gets a kick out of that. 

 The thing with Mike is that he always gets to be Lisa's partner when we play Spades. I wish we could switch partners every game, sort of like Square Dancing, but it's always the same. I think that if I could ever be Lisa's partner, she might open up a little more and maybe I'd finally ask her out. 

I got tired of being Caucasian so I made myself black, with a blond beard and a sweet flattop, which you can't see for the hat. 

The only time that Lisa and I are together is when we're next to each other on the scoreboard when we've tied and both won the hand, which can happen in Hearts. I always lose my nerve and just make more small talk. I get a nice vibe from her and she's wearing a tiny touch of some nice perfume. Maybe one of these days I'll break the ice and ask her out. Traditionally I've never been overly shy around women, so I don't see what the issue is. 

Okay, so normally I don't always say when I'm bullshitting, but this time maybe I'd better, because I know that some people, including a few of my fb friends, think I'm being serious when I'm not. I'm making light of the fact that I have no life these days. Plus this blog is my therapy, and I'll write about anything. It is funny though...when I'm dumping hearts or the queen of spades on someone, I'll burn Mike and Bill before I'll burn Lisa, and that's pretty funny. Anyway, I'm bullshitting. Have a nice day.

 

 

 

Beware the Basement People

I've mentioned this before but as these days we're in go by, I think it's going to become more and more important. My friend Cami, who worked with me at the crazy restaurant posted a thing on fb that said something like "Go for the balcony people, and avoid the basement people." It's a perfect way to describe the people we all meet who talk down to us, disrespect us or act like we're stupid, as opposed to people who don't, and simple is good.

 It instantly creates an image in your mind, and anything that can be associated with something good to remember...music, smells, images and lots of other things can keep the saying or whatever it is in the forefront of your brain, which then decides that it's important. Boy, if you could put a catchy melody with it, people would remember it for the rest of their lives, and the world would be a better place. 

 The "balcony people" are those who treat you with respect, are happy for you when something good happens, encourage you and whatnot, and just are positive in general. Those are the people to go for, but only, and I mean ONLY if you're of the same frame of mind as them, and treat them accordingly. There's a reason they called the Golden Rule golden.

 The "basement people" on the other hand will do whatever they can to disrespect you, diminish your accomplishments, treat you like a dummy, jump your shit for no reason and a host of other things, and are the opposite of positive. Granted there are people who split the difference, but most people are one or the other, and it's easy to tell. And sadly, there are those who are born into a "basement" situation and that's all they ever know. I feel for them.

 It sounds easy to do...stay away from all negative people and only hang out with positive people, but it's impossible to do because most of us have to deal with them at least occasionally, and sometimes you can't avoid them because they're coworkers, "friends" or family, but I can assure you that if you can lose them or at least limit contact, your life and peace of mind will be much, much better. They're straight-up "energy vampires." They're not even consciously aware of it most of the time, but they'll zap your mood and literally suck energy from you in a big way. Avoid them

 What you have to realize about the basement people is that anyone who has to make themselves feel better by putting down others are themselves miserable on the inside. We know that "misery loves company" is a thing and we've all been there, but when people make it a habit, that's a different story. They're empty and unhappy deep inside, and they hate seeing people who aren't. If you let them, they'll take you down right into their quagmire. They'll fell better but you'll feel like shit. Again, avoid.

 One thing I've noticed about them is that if you ever try to call the out for being disrespectful, they'll always tell you that you're imagining things or you're too sensitive or you're tripping or whatever...no. A child knows when it's being talked-down to. It's not like you run off crying, and at the end of the day you have to feel a little sorry for them maybe, because it's obvious that they're miserable inside, for the most part. 

 The problem, and it's a big one, is that they see that kind of behavior as normal, and that's not good. It's a huge red flag. They see it as a weakness that other people don't just go along with their bullying.

 I've mentioned this too but I remember being on the playground in second grade I think, and the typical class bully guy was berating this kid; telling him he was stupid and this and that. The kid wasn't happy, and the bully had a few people on his side, but I could see who was actually the one with the problems. I told myself then and there that I would never be that guy, and I'd never treat anyone with disrespect, and if there's one thing I can say for myself it's that to this day I've never disrespected a soul, even if they've disrespected me. 

 The balcony vs. basement people thing is great. It needs no explanation. I've always said that if I were God I'd have made an 11th Commandment- "Thou shalt not waste," but now I think I'd have done a dozen. The 12th would be: "Goeth with thy gallery people and shunneth thy basement people." That's a tongue-twister. 

 As much as you can, seek out balcony people. They're still around, only these days you have to look a little harder to find them. Let the basement people stay down there in the basement...by themselves where they belong. Besides, the view from the balcony is much better. Oh, and if you want to be a balcony person, you'd better not be an imposter. You'll be discovered, and it's a long fall back down. 
 

How Some People Make Money on YouTube

This woman is a content creator on YouTube. I'll call her Mary, because that's her name. She also makes a decent amount of money on YouTube, and it should be fairly obvious how she does it. She makes a living off of her breasts. Why not...she's sure got a pair. 

 This is typical of all the clickbait vids, where a thumbnail like this catches the attention of low-life perverts all over the world. So did I click on it? Of course I did. In my defense though I was actually doing a bit of research, and...ha-ha...that just reminded of the old excuse for reading Playboy- "I read it for the articles." Anyway, I really was, and gigantic breasts aren't my thing anyway.

 Don't get me wrong...she's attractive, and what we'd call "foxy" back in the day. As far as allurement goes, she's got the whole package, not just a set of Wahoongas. She might be the nicest person in the world, but it's hard for me to take someone who makes money off of body parts seriously, but as always, WTF do I know? 

 I haven't delved into her catalog of videos, all shorts, but apparently she lives on a farm, and she can do anything from cooking when the power goes out to plumbing to carpentry to animal husbandry to you-name-it...all while flopping her breasts around. Here she's seen browning some hamburger meat in a hot skillet. I'd watch that splatter if I were you, sister. 

 I could be wrong, but it seems like half of it is bullshit. It looks like it's all been set up, and the short videos show her with tools and stuff, but it never really shows her doing anything, or shows how it got to that point, and every job is excellent. I guess that's why all her vids are shorts. Mostly she mugs for the camera, which is the point of course, and she moves around to show as much of her breasts as she can without showing nip. I guarantee they've had to reshoot scenes quite a few times. 

 As long as no one gets hurt, and that can be a fine line, I don't begrudge her or anyone else for making a living however they choose, and go with what you got. Judging by her number of subs and videos, and the fact that YouTube promotes stuff like this, she probably makes a few thou a month, maybe more. I hope she puts a little of it away, for when she needs back surgery down the road. And if you're an over-thinking asshole like me, then let's be real...she wouldn't be doing all them chores without at least a sports bra on. 

 Personally I think it'd be hotter if they at least tried  to make it look real, instead of showing her tap the last strip of wood into a beautiful, immaculate and expensive wall treatment, in her barn no less. or whatever it is, but again, all that stuff is just a backdrop for breasts. Again she's got the tools for the job as it were, but it's so in your face, again as it were, that it's blatant. 

 I'm not knocking her, and maybe if I ran into her at a coffee shop and she invited me to the farm, maybe I'd see that she really knows how to do all that shit, and there's more than meets the eye. And to be fair, with overalls that loose, she couldn't expect to do any real work without those things flopping out in front of God and everyone, and I can understand that. She doesn't always wear overalls but whatever she wears is designed to show as much skin as possible.

 Maybe she actually does more work that it looks like, and she's a true Renaissance gal and jackoff all trades, and maybe her tacos are to die for, but like they say...no matter how legit, it's all about the tits.

Another Dimension?

My mom digs old Westerns, and that's what's usually on TV. Last night I was watching a movie on YouTube, with headphones. I wasn't paying attention to the TV, but then out of nowhere I heard a very stern voice that was loud enough to get through the headphones, saying, "Hard drives are not a problem." 

 That statement wouldn't raise an eyebrow these days, but when I looked up to see who said it, I saw this guy, probably named Zeb, making the comment. It didn't compute, and for a second or two (I'm slow) I thought, "What the...have we crossed into another dimension? Have we reached the Big Singularity or whatever it is, where time has become meaningless, and the past, present and future have been thrown into a blender?" 

 Before too long my thinking brain took over from my lizard-brain's "fight or flight" initial response, and I realized that he must be talking about a cattle drive, considering they didn't have PCs and such back then, and the hard drive was over a century away. I got a laugh out of it, and I was very relieved that Time was still safe. 

My Excuse for Playing Drums

I've never really needed a reason to play drums...they've just been a part of me since I can remember. I heard, or at least felt Joe Morello playing drums when I was still in the womb, so it's no wonder. I'm into music first, before drums or anything else, and I love all instruments, but drums floated my boat more than anything, so I picked drums as my main ax. Of course it means that I can never call myself a real musician, but that's no problem. I'm not a real anything so it doesn't matter.

 Not that I ever needed an excuse either, but if I ever thought I did I had a stellar one, once I read Psalm 150:5 that is. It says: "Praise Him upon the loud cymbals; praise Him upon the high-sounding cymbals." I remember thinking "Fuckin'-A!" I'm a cymbal freak anyway but that just rocked, as it were. There was the greatest reason to ever play drums, and it was in the Bible of all places.

 When I discovered this verse, in my early teens, I was having some internal issues because of my church upbringing, and knowing that I was playing the "Devil's music," but here was a dang Psalm about it. It took a weight off my shoulders and I thought it was pretty great in general. So, I could be playing a song by a band that was named after the Devil, but I was still cool. Problem solved. 

 In all sincerity the Book of Psalms is beautiful to read anyway, but finding a verse about playing cymbals, and forcefully at that, was just fantastic, and it was actual praise. Too much. You could say it was a sign from God, but that'd be too easy, seeing as how it's in the Bible. That was a breakthrough. Thanks Psalms! 

Quote of the Day

"We'd be putting our makeup on. I'd get a huge boner, and I'd pull my pants down and go over to Gene as he was applying his makeup, and lay my boner on his shoulder." - Peter Criss, on backstage antics before a Kiss show
 

Double-Take Meme of the Day

I guess I've made my appointment with the doc. Thanks to Bruce. 
 

Making My Mom's Day/Seeing Myself in the Family

I just ran across an old photograph that was so gnarly I almost tossed it until I had a closer look. I scanned it and I was able to bump-up the exposure a bit but I couldn't correct skin tone or anything else. The original photo is much darker, and when I first looked at it I thought it was me, although I didn't recognize the baby. 

 I've held a few babies in my day and photos were taken, so I thought it might be one I'd forgotten about. There's a photo of me holding my niece when she was a baby, and the expression on my face is very similar to this person, who as it turns out is actually my grandmother on my mom's side. This is obviously a print from the original, because this photo would've been taken about 65 years ago. 

 I showed it to my mom, still thinking it was me, to see if she knew who the baby might be, and she recognized it as her mother Auberrie. The baby happens to be my cousin Nancy. I told mom I thought it was me. "You did?" she asked. I told her I could see my face in Auberrie's, or vice-versa, and it made her day. 

 I was really young when she died way too early from Diabetes, but I still have an image of her sitting at the table, and I remember she always had a sweet smile on her face, as you can see here if you look closely. Mom was thrilled to hear me say that, and it flipped me out a little too. There are so few photos of her, and it was the first time I'd ever noticed a resemblance between my granny and me and I reckon it made my day too.

 At first I thought it was me...hair and all. I guess it's how the genes work. It was a nice thing to share with mom and I'm pleased it made her happy. For me it was an honor and a flip-out...the good kind. Have a nice day, and remember your ancestors. 
 

Lightning Strikes...Maybe Once Maybe Twice (rewritten)

I've told the story before about going through the same storm twice in one night. Sometimes I recycle my old stories, not only to keep them fresh but because these days I'm sitting on my sorry ass all day and I don't have any new adventures to speak of. 

 The only person who reads this blog anyway is me, when I proofread it, which is totally fine except that I'm talking to myself, so who cares? Plus it's a very cool memory for a storm buff, not to mention it was the second time in my life that I was fairly certain I might very well die, and that's an interesting feeling.

 So the Bud Greene band was playing somewhere in Mississippi. It was a Saturday, and after being on the road for most of the week, unless every one of us got hammered or there were locals involved or a crazy party or extenuating circumstances or whatever, on Saturday night after the gig we were ready to get home, so we usually drove back from Saturday gigs no matter how far away it was.

 We knew that there was going to be a pretty good storm rolling in after midnight, probably around when we'd be hitting the road. Some of the guys had been drinking all week and didn't much give a shit, but I knew it could get rough and a couple of us kept an eye on things as best we could. We turned on TWC in the motel room in the morning, and it was already big news. The only question was whether it was just going to be a strong storm or a really intense one. This was just before the Web and cellphones, but I figured I'd find a TV somewhere or find a station on the radio. 

 It ended up being a storm that old-timers around here still remember because it forever changed the landscape in a hilly part of town, scouring away dozens of old trees and leaving a bare view of a crest. It was later dubbed "the perfect storm" after the movie of the same name, because three different systems came together to form one giant storm. Wilder still for me was that I got to experience it twice.

 The last time I was able to get any reliable information was when we had dinner. We'd checked out of the room and couldn't find a TV anywhere after the one in the restaurant. Wherever we were we were in the Boonies, and I couldn't get a single station on the radio. I figured I'd find a TV in a dorm room or somewhere, or if all else failed I'd just ask a frat boy. Wrong.

 As often happened at frat parties, all the brothers got shitfaced, and they were completely useless for getting any information out of. It was starting to get pretty windy as we were packing up, but none of the brothers gave a fuck. I asked several completely drunk bros if there was a TV I could watch for a minute to check on the storm, and they just laughed it off. They'd be okay in the basement if a tornado hit but we had to drive in it. 

 Looking back, we'd have stayed the night if we'd known how intense it was going to be, but then there wouldn't be a story. I remember one guy leaning out of a second-story window. I yelled up to him to see if he'd heard anything about the storm, but all he did was throw up. I'll never forget that, and it's hilarious now. 

 Things were looking pretty gnarly but apparently we decided to head back anyway. The trailer and equipment weighed right at 3,000lbs, and there was about another ton with the van and five clowns sitting in it. We figured we could stand up to the wind, but we hadn't figured on being right on the edge of a twister, but that's how it goes sometimes. There was still only static on the radio, but pretty soon we didn't need a radio to tell us what was going on, and it was pretty bad.

 The bottom just dropped out. The raindrops were the biggest I've ever seen. They stung my face when I stuck my head out of the window to get a better look at the shoulder, and it sounded like gravel hitting the roof. Then the lightning started, and it was the most powerful I've ever seen too. We were on a highway that was typical of most of Mississippi- two-lane surrounded by pine trees on both sides. 

Lightning was striking trees all around us, and it was so powerful that it was causing the sap inside to rapidly heat up and explode in a shower of sparks and flame. The dead trees would explode and burst into flames. Even with the deluge of rain they'd burn for several seconds. It was like one of those 70s movies like Apocalypse Now or the Twilight Zone Movie, which was before CGI and they used real explosives for the special effects. It was happening all around us. It was scary but fascinating, and I remember seeing trees get hit 15' from the window and turning my head to watch them burn. 

 The wind started blowing us around like it was nothing. The raindrops were blowing just a couple degrees from straight across and they looked as big as grapes. We heard a rumbling sound off in the distance and knew that a tornado was close, but we didn't know if we were heading toward it or away from it. I was considering our options, which were few.

 On either side of the road was a 4'-wide ditch with about 2' of water flowing by ten times faster that we were going, instead of a shoulder, and that'd knock down the biggest person in half a second. Running into the woods and standing next to pine trees that were getting struck by lightning didn't sound like a good option either, and most of us couldn't have jumped the ditch anyway. If you get caught outside in a tornado, a ditch would be the best place to get, only not when it's flooded. 

 Visibility was about 3' if that, and we had to creep along at 5mph or less. There was no shoulder to pull over on, and even though we couldn't see past the front of the hood we had to keep moving. A car coming up behind us wouldn't see us in time to stop. The wind picked up even more. Debris was hitting the van and it was being blown around like a toy. I'm surprised we didn't tump over. As I remember, the tornado was off to our left, which makes sense considering the direction we were headed. The main part of the storm was just to the north of us. 

 With the wind and the rain and lightning and thunder and the trees exploding all around us it felt like Armageddon or something, and we were all afraid, some more than others. There was a slight but real possibility that a tornado could've ripped the van apart, and we with it. We were almost dead-ass in the middle of a really, really big storm. We were saying "I love you man!" to each other and really meaning it. Nobody was losing it but we knew that there was always a slight possibility we might not make it. For what it's worth I was praying, and maybe a couple of the other guys were too.  

 After several minutes apocalyptic weather, hugging each other when we weren't being tossed around in the van and saying "Oh, SHIT" a lot, the wind started to break and the rain thinned a little. We were able to speed up to maybe 15mph, and realized that we were going to finally outrun the storm. After a few more minutes we were able to get almost up to normal speed, and we breathed sighs of relief. We stopped at the next gas station. We all had to pee, and I'm guessing that some alcohol was bought. 

 When we got up to highway speed we were able to get ahead of the storm by maybe 75 miles or so. We were having a big time...whooping and hollering and saying shit like "It's great to be alive" and I STILL love you man!" That was quite a ride. I don't remember what time it was when I got back to the apartment, but it was well after midnight. My girlfriend Paige was up watching the weather. Good girl. 

 We hugged and kissed and exchanged pleasantries. We might have exchanged even more pleasantries except that I knew the storm would be here before long, and Paige didn't share my enthusiasm for storms. We had a screened-in porch, and I'd stuff cotton in my ears and put on headphones and go out and enjoy the storm, while Paige would generally be under the covers with the cats, bless her heart. She wasn't a baby about it and don't worry...I'd go in and check on her now and then.

 I knew this was going to be a big one, so I calmly put some extra cushions and pillows on the bed, and we split a glass of wine. The storm was still maybe half an hour away, so we had time to prepare. I decided to wait until the storm was over before I told her about our adventure in the very same storm one state over. She was anxious enough. I did tell her that we drove through it but I didn't go into details. I didn't expect it to be nearly as severe by the time it got to us, although you never know. 

 There's an elevation to the west of where we are in the state, and it breaks up some of the intensity of most storms right before they get to us, but if they come from the south, as a hurricane or are as strong as this storm was, all bets are off. It still hit our area pretty hard, and again the worst part was a little north of us. 

 I sat out on the porch and took in the storm while my girlfriend and cats were snuggled in bed. I thought about what we'd just been through, and started to finally come down from all the Adrenaline and God knows what other chemicals our brains had injected into our bodies. It was good to be alive. 

 The storm was intense for about 15 minutes and then it passed. I went in and we caught up on the week and I told her about how we'd been in the same storm an hour earlier and how intense it was, and how crazy it was to be in the same storm twice. She hugged me and reckoned she was glad we made it. She knew things got crazy on the road, and when you add in a tornado...well, she was always glad when we made it through another week. 

 I've experienced some intense storms before but that one took the cake, and to be in it twice was amazing. The attitude-changing experience of thinking we might die was interesting, and was one of those things that helped me not to take things for granted. When your number comes up you can't do much about it, and it got pretty close to our numbers that night. I always say I love to see a big storm. I got my wish...twice.

 
 

The Perils of Taking a Nap with a Video Playing (I Got Got)

Earlier this afternoon I was so tired I had to take a nap. I knew I shouldn't have done it but I wanted to finish watching the end of a cool video, so I took the laptop. I was starting to crash before it was over and I couldn't even close the laptop. I figured it'd be quiet after the video finished, but there were a couple of others in the queue, and they played automatically.

 It wasn't a problem because I didn't have the volume too loud and I was out cold anyway, but all of the sudden I was rudely jolted out of a dream by an extremely loud "KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK...SHERIFF'S OFFICE." I thought it was real and that the cops were at the door. 

 It was just loud as hell because the cop was in a very reflective hallway with concrete floors and vinyl siding. It was five times louder than the rest of the video. The reason it got me so good wasn't just that it was balls-loud, but we have the exact same kind of hallway here, and it sounded completely real and like it was right out front. Wat da fuque?

 I was yanked out of La-La Land, and all I could think of was wtf did they want with me, and why did they have to knock so damn loudly? Then I started to come back to reality...I noticed that my dog was still next to me, and thank God it was just a video. This is a screenshot of the knock heard 'round the room. I rolled over and had to laugh when I looked at the laptop and saw a cop in the video. I got got. I knew I shouldn't have taken the laptop to bed.
 

A Ticket to Crimson

I've told the story before about going to Atlanta to see the "new" King Crimson on the Discipline tour and all the sheer insanity that went along with it, but I've never talked much about how I finally got a ticket, and that was fairly freaky, like something you'd have seen at a Grateful Dead show. 

 We went without tickets, since the venue sold out immediately, but we knew that the scalpers would be out in full force and we weren't worried. We all had plenty of cash and were prepared to spend well over $100 if necessary, which back then was a bit of cash. About a dozen of us went and we got there around 11am, which we thought would be plenty of time to find tickets.

 We got some lunch and when we got to the venue a little after noon, there were already people selling and looking for tickets. The problem was that way more people were looking than selling. We were far from the only rabid King Crimson fans in the Southeast. The few people who had tickets for sale were immediately getting mobbed. They'd be gone in two seconds, in most cases for well over $100. It looked pretty bleak but we weren't about to give up, and showtime was almost eight hours away.

 As it turned out I was the last to get a ticket, and O' was next-to-last. People would be milling about and then someone would shout "Tickets" and whomever was closest to them would snatch them up, and then you'd hear "OHHHhhh" from the rest of the people. Nobody was selling a dozen tickets at once so we split up into pairs, and O' and I teamed up. 

 One by one or two by two, everybody except O' and I found tickets over the next few hours. I don't think anyone paid less than a hunj. By 5pm the crowd had begun to thin out, and there were hardly any scalpers left. O' finally gave up and went to a nearby bar and started drinking fishbowl-sized martinis that were at least triples. I'd go check on him about every half-hour but I wasn't about to give up on trying to find tickets. 

 Over the next couple of hours O' got completely hammered, even for him. He also had a standing script for Demerol of all things, and those gave him energy to keep drinking. There was almost nobody else in the bar. Luckily the bartender was keeping an eye on him. He'd assured her that he wasn't driving, so she continued serving him. He wasn't unruly but he was completely wasted, and the bartender was glad I was checking in on him. "He's blasted" she said. "I know. I'll take care of him."

 The third or fourth time I went to check on him he was gone. I asked the bartender where he was and she hadn't seen him leave. I went out to look for him, not knowing where to go, and I noticed a commotion and heard horns blaring in the middle of Peachtree Road. I looked over and there was O', in the turn lane in the middle of the road. He'd dressed all in white for the occasion, shirt, pants, shoes, jacket and hat. He'd taken off his jacket and was waving it at passing cars like a Matador. As concerned for his safety as I immediately became I had to laugh. It was one of the craziest things I'd ever seen.

 I weaved my way through oncoming traffic, grabbed his jacket and put it on him. Luckily he didn't fight me and the traffic stopped so we could get back to the sidewalk. I didn't know what else to do so I sat him back down at the bar. "Keep an eye on him please" I said to the bartender. I went back to hunting tickets, having had an incredible diversion. I hoped O' would be okay, but he was a big boy, and certainly used to drinking. Man, you can't buy memories like that. 

 About 45 minutes before showtime I went around back of the venue and caught some of the soundcheck. There were stairs leading up to a door that opened up to the back of the stage, and there sat Bill Bruford. I sat there for about 15 minutes, and figured that at least I got to hear some music. Bill looked down and saw me checking him out, and he smiled and nodded. I nodded back.

 That was the entirety of my interaction with one of my favorite drummers. I wanted to say "Hey man, I named my dog after you" but I didn't. I figured I'd watch the show from there, but then someone closed the door. Back to the ol' drawing board. 

 I guess it was about ten 'til, and there were only a few people outside. I was about to throw in the towel and join O' at the bar when I noticed a guy approaching me. Maybe my eyes were playing tricks on me...I'd been stressed for nearly eight hours and had had to save my buddy from becoming roadkill in the middle of Peachtree, but I swear the guy just materialized. I was looking in that direction and all of the sudden I noticed a guy walking toward me and looking me in the eye. It was like he wasn't there and then he was there.

 Without saying a word he took two tickets from his pocket and held them up to me. My jaw dropped but I shut it long enough to ask "How much?" "List price" he replied. My jaw dropped again. "You need to see Crimson." "I know, but..." "It's cool man" he said. "List price." I gave him $60 or whatever it was. "Enjoy the show" he said, and disappeared around the corner. "Thanks!" I hollered. "You're welcome" he replied. 

 I ran back to the bar and peeled O' off his barstool, gave the bartender a generous tip and held up the tickets. "TICKETSCH? DAMN...HOW MUSCH YOU PAY?" he slurred. "List" I said. "LISCHT?" he asked. "Yep" I said  "Let's go!" "SCHUUUURE!" said O'. "I LOVE YOU MAN!" "You too buddy" I replied. We stumbled into the venue and found our friends and started cheering, about five minutes before the house lights went down. Hey, better late than nev. The show was massive.

 I still think about that guy and how he seemed to magically appear out of nowhere and headed straight for me as if it was meant to be. I think about how I'd have gladly given him an extra $200 but he didn't want a penny. The Good Book says to be careful how we treat others because we might be "entertaining angels unaware."

 Was ticket guy an angel? He certainly was that night. Or was he a demon maybe? I don't think so but I've learned that I can't discount ANYTHING in this world just because I might not believe it's true. That was heavy. He did say that I needed to see Crimson. He was right. I'm still recovering from it. Thanks, ticket guy! 
 

Meme of the Day

Bloody hell it's absolutely true. God help us. 
 

Is the SovCit Movement a Plant?

I've been watching a few more of these SovCit videos on YouTube, where people fail to simply provide ID at a traffic stop and end up getting their windows smashed, being dragged out of their vehicles and taken to jail. I wouldn't be surprised at all if the whole thing was a plant, to make everyone who goes against authority look like idiots. If that theory happens to be true, they're doing a damn good job. Either way those people are definitely idiots. 

 For one thing I don't see how standing up for something that's based on their interpretation of the laws is worth the expense and hassle of having to replace your window and bail yourself out of jail. Sadly their interpretation of the law is at this time wrong, and when they don't follow the correct rules, they pay the price. Of course we should stand up for our rights, but it really helps if we're in the right. 

 None of these clowns are driving Beemers. They drive 2012 Civics and things like that. You'd think price consideration alone would keep them from being idiots. I'd think that replacing windows, having their cars towed, fines, court costs, having to drive to court and all of that would run at least a couple-grand if not more. Maybe they're set up a Gofundme deal or a defense fund or something like that but I doubt it. 

 It makes no sense to me and I smell a rat. Not only do they refuse a simple and lawful order but they act like complete bozos in the process. They're disrespectful, arrogant and combative right off the bat, and that attitude rarely works in any situation. The thing is, they can lump "Conspiracy Theorists" in with the SovCits, and voila- they're all crazy. They've done that kind of thing since the dawn of humans, so the possibility that all of this is a plant can't be ruled out. 

 I understand that sometimes we MUST defy authority, and history teaches us that (see: Boston Tea Party, etc), and that public attention must be swayed, and maybe they really are trying to start a movement that they're willing to go through all that shit for, but if that were true you'd think they'd at least lose the attitude.

 They could politely refuse to provide ID and sit there like fools as their windows get smashed. Most people would be much more willing to at least consider their position if they didn't cop an attitude. Maybe they think it's the only way to get their point across, but it really doesn't help their case, and the cops are over it by now. 

 Some of them will go live on Facebook or YouTube, no doubt streaming to other like-minded individuals, and maybe they think that the exposure is worth the trouble, but you'd think that at least some people watching would see that they're acting like fools. You can resist without being a condescending asshole, and who knows...they might even get off with a warning if they simply showed respect to the cops. In most cases they'd only get a ticket for maybe $150 or less, instead of a couple-thou. 

 There does have to be sacrifices if a movement is going to get started and to draw attention to their cause, right or wrong, and I'm sure these people see themselves as heroes for going through all that shit just to prove a point. Again though, it makes no sense for them to be assholes right out of the gate. It could absolutely be a plant, to make anyone who disagrees with authority look like buffoons.

 The only other option is that they're all a bunch of disgruntled dipshits, united by mob rule or mass psychosis or something. Whatever the case, they're making people who have a legitimate beef with authority look like fools. I really should start a business called SovCit Window Repair. I could run specials like Temper Tuesdays, Freakout Fridays and Smashed-out Saturdays, with group discounts.  I'd get rich. 

Latest Identification

This person "identifies" as a clown. Why the fuck not? The whole world is a clown show these days. Did you know that a substitute teacher was fired for failing to accept "meows" from a misguided kid who "identified" as a cat? It sounds like a joke, but sadly it's true. It just goes to show that people's heads are lodged so far up their asses that their brains can't get any oxygen, but don't get me started. 

 I guess I should dust off my calliope and roast some peanuts and set up a tent. Fuck me. Just for the record, this person makes a really shitty clown. HONK-HONK. 
 

Beat Post I've seen on Facebook All Year

 

Cosmic Coincidences #3,628,573,974,729,274,074,729,973,239,628,853,238,861

About six months or so ago I got one of these Shungite bracelets. Shungite is an interesting mineral that comes only from one place in Russia. It has many qualities attributed to it...it's used to purify water and it is said to be able to block some types of harmful frequencies and radiation in large enough amounts, among other things.

 I just got it because I like rocks and I think it looks cool. They carve it into round beads and all sorts of shapes but I like the natural form. It's like something the Flintstones would wear. It's tumbled but otherwise it's "raw." I'll admit that there's a bit of the Woo-Woo factor...somehow Shungite "speaks" to me, for what it's worth. I like it.

 It came strung on a temporary elastic band, and I'd planned to restring it with hemp cord, but the holes were too small. I haven't gotten around to getting some thinner cord so I left it on the elastic. I knew it'd break at some point but I figured I'd restring it eventually, and I didn't think about it again. 

 This afternoon I noticed it and I was wondering how long it would be before it broke. Just then it broke. My arm was bent at the elbow and in front of my stomach. I felt a little tickle on my wrist, like a bug had landed on it or something. I looked down and saw the bracelet come apart right before my eyes. It didn't snap or get stretched and I didn't touch it. The rocks slid off the band and onto the floor. I had to laugh. What're the odds? At times I think the Universe has a sense of humor. That was a trip. THIS HAS BEEN A COINCIDENCE. 

 
 

Deepfake: This is Bad

This is a video of Ron DeSantis withdrawing from the presidential race, only it's fake. Apparently it caused a stir until it was revealed that it's actually a "Deepfake" AI program. This is amazing but it's not good. No matter how cool it is or what people say, it's deception of the strongest kind. It goes without saying that it could potentially be used to get innocent people in trouble. 

 We remember hearing decades ago that one day computer-generated images would be indistinguishable from real-life images, and I reckon we're there. As interesting as it is it gives me a bad feeling. Is it paranoia? Of course not. People have been framed since the dawn of Man. This just potentially takes it to the highest level so far. 

 They say there are already laws to protect this kind of thing, and I'm not surprised. As we know, Obama signed into a law a bill making the use of propaganda (deception) on our own people legal, in the interest of "national security." Boy, there's a catchall if there ever was one. "We can screw you and bullshit you but it's okay because the nation is secure." Cough-coughBULLSHITcough-cough. 

 What's interesting when you compare the Good Book to what's happening today, besides the Book of Revelation being a laundry list for what's happening right now, I can see the technology that could be used to make those things happen. It says that Cristians will be heavily persecuted, and what better way than Deepfake? Fortunately the book also says not to fear, because these things must happen before the so-called return of Christ. Like Deepfake, I believe the Beast System had already arrived, and things on this planet are about to become a true Shitshow. No fear though, and have a nice day. 
 

(Drunken) Quote of the Day

"I got my second DUI because I have a broken fibio. I have 'Rikidiculopathy.' Want me to do a cartwheel?" - a 60yo lady who blew triple the limit and was feeling no pain whatsoever
 

A Better Question Would Be...

So this sister did this drawing she calls "Post Malone." She asked, "Who would you like to see me draw next?" I think a better question would be "What's that shit all over your face, and why would you do that to yourself?" 
 

Verse of the Day

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God." Matthew 5:9
 

Quote of the Day

"If they had eyes in their head, and they could see under the bed, they'd see heads of lead and eyes of wood. It doesn't really matter, because rubber fingers have taken the hand off of the Universe anyway." - Charles Manson
 

"We're Coming for Your Children"

At what point do we say "Enough is fucking enough!" and open our eyes to what's going on? It's one thing that these people dress up like it's Halloween every day of the year and then shout shit over a megaphone and expect "normies" to take them seriously, but when they say shit like this, is it time to draw the line? If you're a parent and you support this shit, shame on you. As Pink Floyd once said, "Leave those kids alone!" 

 It's straight-up grooming, which is supposed to be illegal, but in this anything goes/accept everything world we live in, I guess it's okay now. And if anyone thinks this is "lgbtq+ bashing," rather than trying to protect our kids, then they need to pop their heads out of their asses so their brains can get some oxygen so they can think straight again. 

 These people are not only dressed like fools, but they're radical. Just hop on Tic Toc, or better yet a YouTube video showing a bunch of Tic-Tokers, all having complete meltdowns when they get "mis-pronouned." I have to wonder how they'd behave if a true crisis happened, but I guess to them it is. 

 It's a shame, and it's almost always an honest accident. It's rarely malicious, as they try to make it seem. They expect us to bypass eons of our brains automatically determining gender by visual cues, which now of course are all blurred. Not only that but their pronouns can change from day to day simply by how they feel that day, and we're supposed to keep up with their whims. This isn't "hate speech." It's calling out a joke on humanity and common sense. 

 Again, this is radical talk, and it's been said more than once. This kind of talk alarms me, and I don't have any kids. Why isn't this called "hate speech?" You'd think that if ANY group said "We're coming after your children" we'd take it as a very serious threat, right? Apparently these people get a pass. What's the deal with that?

Of course people have come out defending them, but it's the usual horseshit. Some said it was a "harmless" jab at anti-gay activists, whomever and wherever they might be, for trying to lump them in with Pedos, groomers and such, which is total bullshit, or that it was simply a "misguided joke." Right. Know what's a misguided joke? The clown with the megaphone. 

 Anyway, if nobody else gives a shit, I'm calling it out. THIS is hate speech. Leave our kids ALONE! 

 

Happy Trails to You #9: The Smoking Six-Shooter?

Now that you-know-what-trails have been declassified, shouldn't that make "Conspiracy Theorists" seem just a tad less conspiratorial? It should, and more than that we've been lied to all this time. You cool with that? Yes, they're a thing, and they have been for a long time. 

 Maybe 15 years ago people were saying that someone had gone back decades and inserted jet trails in old movies and TV shows, to make people think that they've been here all along.

 It sounded crazy and unlikely and labor-intensive and all, but I wouldn't put anything past these people so I couldn't just rule it out, even though most people laughed at the idea. I get that it sounds crazy, but this is Clown World. 

 The other night my mom was watching an old Gunsmoke episode I believe. Something caught my eye and I was extremely surprised to look up and see trails behind good ol' Chuck Connors. No, it wasn't the Rifleman. We don't have a DVD on the cable box so I had to grab my phone and snap a photo. On the screen they went across the whole sky, but you can tell what they are from this image. Is this the smokin' gun?

 Before you crack up, consider this...if they were shooting a show that took place in the 1800s, do you think they'd have left those in the original shot, and have jet planes flying above a horse and buggy? I seriously doubt it. If they were even there to begin with, do you think maybe they'd have waited for the sky to clear and reshot the scene, or let people know that it's a bogus TV show that was filmed in the 1960s with jet planes and not even care? You wouldn't think they'd have left them in the original shot, right? Either way they're busted. You can't ignore it. It's incredible. We're being bullshitted. Wake up. 
 

Sovereign Citizens?

Although it was started in 1970, which I didn't know, the Sovereign Citizen Movement seems to be getting a lot of attention lately. The name and the idea sound fine to me, but I haven't really looked into it that much. All I know about it is from what I've seen in videos recently, and so far I'm not "all in." 

 Instead of putting others down to feel better about myself, I sometimes watch really stupid people doing really stupid things, and Boom, I feel better. I see people, some drunk, getting pulled over and then making things a million times worse by acting like fools. Lately I've seen a lot of people try to pull the "sovereign citizen" thing. Guess how many times it's actually worked. 

 From what I see so far, "sovereign citizens" are numbnuts. They're arrogant assholes right out of the box...telling cops how to do their jobs and acting like they've done nothing wrong. And even if you're an attorney it doesn't do much good to try to argue legal issues with a cop. I guess it's sort of like people who think they can alter things by how they "identify." I guess these days we can all be anydamnthing we want just by declaring it. 

 Wiki lumped "Conspiracy Theorists" into the mix of their definition. Since I am one myself I'll have to look into it more, but I can say that I wouldn't go showing my ass to a cop and basically dare them to arrest me. Some of them will refuse to identify themselves and immediately cop an attitude, and then they'll refuse a lawful order to step out of the car. 

 They end up getting dragged from their cars, sometimes tased, cuffed and put into the back of a cruiser, adding multiple charges, all the while spouting bullshit about how the cops have no right to do their jobs and how their rights as "sovereign citizens" are being violated and how the cops don't know the "law" and blah-blah. Some of them aren't even drunk. The problem is that they're already in handcuffs and on their way to jail. So much for sovereignty. 

 I'm not excusing all cops for certain behaviors by any means, but in general they're following procedure that they're supposed to follow by law. Someone who's disrespectful and belligerent from the get-go isn't doing themselves any favors, and refusal to identify themselves can mean that there's something to hide.

 They usually escalate until they're in way more trouble than they needed to be, and if they do happen to have something to hide, their actions can be probable cause and they generally get busted. Like it or not we have to obey rules, and trying to pull rank on a cop usually doesn't go so well for the perp.

 I'll look into it more, since it is an interesting notion, and Wiki says that the SCM contains fellow "Conspiracy Theorists," although none of the ones I know would disrespect the police and act like morons. For one thing it's wrong, but they also have better things to spend thousands of dollars on, like food and rent and stuff, rather than on fines and court costs. Yeah, it sounds good by definition, but at this point I don't choose to "identify" with the SCM. Sounds like a bunch of dumbasses to me. 

The New Biology

I've been wanting to leaf through a Biology book that's come out within the last couple of years. I wonder if they've been updated to include all this new information about gender, like how there are now dozens of variations, rather than the two we always thought there were, and how people can change, swap, blur, ignore, deny or otherwise manipulate their gender, depending on how they "identify" on any given day. Since the Laws of Physiology have been completely rewritten, I imagine the Biology books have too by now. I'm sure the parents have had to adjust too. 

This is an example of the "New Biology." This is a totally random person, one of many, relating an experience at the doctor, where they were "misgendered." This person at least wasn't unpleasant, uber-angry and completely off the rails like so many of them are. Some of them are fighting with their doctors over their perceived biological changes, without any procedures done, and sometimes it puts them at odds with proper care and such.

 You might think that they'd temporarily default back to the "old" biology when seeing a medical professional, but many refuse. It can out the doctors in a tough spot, the patients too, and it's understandable. It's one thing to be mis-pronouned, but to insist that your body is somehow different from what it is is a whole 'nother thing.

 In this person's case it was a "misgendering." With all due respect, and whenever I say that I really do mean it, based on patterns that have developed since the dawn of humans, I'd think this person is female...which, umm...actually she(?) is...except that this person doesn't "identify" as a female today, so...wtf...kneejerk, "she" and "her" would be the pronouns I'd use. I apologize.

 This person appears feminine, but somehow they aren't...at least for today...you say potato...let's call the whole thing off. Oh wait...we can't. The doctor made the same "mistake," and called this person by a female term, instead of their preferred pronouns of the day- "he" and "him." Oops, silly doctor. 

 In this case the doctor apologized and adjusted her pronouns, but it really traumatized this person, and that's just weird. If I accidentally called someone a term they didn't like, including gender-related terms, I'd call them by whatever they wished, no problem. How they get violently upset when it happens is beyond me, except to think that it might be a mental thing, although as always, I am not a doctor. 

 Take me for example. I have a name that's usually given to females, at least those born as such, and I've been "mis-gendered" all my life. Without getting into all the gender-variable here, people who still think in terms of there being only two genders, see or hear my name and think I'm a female. It's never bothered me a bit, and sometimes it's been hilarious. 

 Heck, people even used to tease me about it, and not like making a simple "mistake." There was no ill will from the good doc, although you'd have thought so from their reaction. If someone made a joke about me having a girl's name, I'd just laugh and make some girly comment. We'd get a laugh and I didn't go berserk and attack anyone. If some asshole calls someone a name...any name, that's one thing and it's wrong, but how can these people lose their minds over a mistake? 

 I've told this before, but one night I was in a livestream on YouTube. There were over 100 people in the chat, and I knew a couple-dozen of them. It was a Saturday night and several people had been drinking. I made a couple of comments that were funny I guess, but this one wasted guy thought I was a woman, and he started hitting on me. I played along for a few minutes, and it was fun because my friends in the chat knew that I'm a guy. Finally he asked if I'd marry him, and I said "I'm not that kind of guy." There was an instant string of LOLs in the chat. That was a lot of fun, and not some tragedy. 

Of course there weren't any real gender issues besides me having a girl's name, but maybe these people should relax a bit, realize that people make mistakes, and not freak out quite so much. They'd be much better off health-wise, no matter the gender. And speaking of gender, I really do want to read a recent edition of a Biology book. This new information is revolutionary. Surely it's in there by now. And stop calling me Shirley!