Year 2- Day 135 ...Doing as little as possible..

Apparently I'm walking less than I did in 2020, and in 2020, I walked less than in 2019 (which makes sense - I was commuting daily in 2019). This year, I'm walking less around Greenwood Cemetery.

Walked to the Flatbush Coop today, picked up some more food. On the way, a heard a faint voice behind me on the sidewalk. I was kind of plotting a story out in my head - or flirting with going back to finishing one (the science fiction story that I wrote pre-pandemic, which predicted Trump in office and a mutant zombie virus decimating the population. That was put on hold for ahem, obvious reasons.) Anyhow I was about to cross the street when I heard this faint little voice..

"Excuse me...I..I..."

Normally, I would ignore it. But for some reason I turned. I wasn't wearing a mask, few do now outdoors - since it's been pretty much proven by the CDC that you can't really get the virus outside in the sunshine. Plus not many people around.

A small thin younger woman was in front of me, her face filled with a kind of hopeless dread or panic. "Would you have a dollar I can borrow? Please?"

Her voice was filled with panic. She was rail thin, slight. And looked no older than maybe thirty if that. With a big purse, and a desperate look in her eyes. She started searching through her bag, panic stricken. ""Oh god, I can't even find my phone. I don't know what I'm going to do."

I didn't think. I just nodded and dug into my purse for my wallet, checking through the dollar bills.

"Thank you, oh thank you so much. I really hate to ask...I just don't know what to do..."

I was looking for something more than a dollar, and landed on a twenty dollar bill. I pulled it out and handed it to her.

"Thank you so much - " She looked down at the bill and I saw her jaw drop open in shock. Her front two teeth were missing. And my heart melted for her. "Oh, oh my god. Wait, are you okay?"

ME (confused) : Yes, I'm fine. Thank you. Not a problem.

Woman: Are you - I'm Kristin..thank you..I ...oh god, thank you.

I nodded and walked on. Not quite sure why I felt compelled to do it. I didn't think about it. I just did it. Without thought. Instinct really. I wondered about it afterwards though. I don't usually - mainly because in NYC you get used to the beggars after a bit, and there are a lot of scam artists. Also its dangerous to pull out a wallet and give someone cash on a sidewalk - even if you aren't in the middle of a pandemic, in a high risk area of the city. But for some reason, I did it - the spirit moved me, so to speak. When stuff like that happens to me - I believe in a power greater than myself, but it is hard to explain to others. Some things are just inexplicable.

***


Meanwhile over on FB. FB removed a comment I put on a Fanboard, and sent me a warning that I had violated their "community standards" and if I did it again, I'd get my account restricted.

What did I do?

I posted that I wanted Valentine to kill Peter on General Hospital.

Basically I wanted one ambiguous and somewhat murderous fictional character to kill another murderous fictional character on a television show, and I posted this in a television fandom.

Facebook? You are embarrassing yourself.

I decided to let them know that they are embarrassing themselves. The moderator got a notification for informing someone that a character had gotten a cockroach. Facebook interpreted it as if she was calling the character a cockroach, and sent her a warning.

***



Been corresponding with folks who I went to London with back in the 1980s. One is putting together a photo book. It's weirdly nostalgic. Makes me want to visit England again, although this round - I think I'd spend more time investigating Scotland and northern England. The last round, I spent most of my time in Southern England and Wales. Also I'd like to spend some time in Ireland. I'm mostly Irish and Scottish apparently.

I don't want to talk about COVID or think about the news. So leaving you with more flowers...




At some point, I may print off these photos and frame them.

Everything but the Kitchen Sink..

Been flirting with television series.

1. Just finished Masters of the Universe : Relevations, which was written by Kevin Smith (of Clerks fame). Apparently, He-Man and Masters of the Universe has a fandom. Who knew? And they are all busy rebooting it in various forms. First She-Rah, now this.

This has the vocal talents of Sarah Michelle Gellar (Tessla), Chris Wood (Adam/He-Man), Mark Hamill (Skeletor), Lena Hedly (Evilynn), and Liam Cunningham (Master of Arms). I only recognized Gellar, who has a distinctive voice. Hamill can disguise his voice. Oh, also Kevin Conroy did Merman.

The plot surprised me. ( spoilers )

The animation was pretty good. There's only five episodes, and a second season on order.

2. I'm flirting with Voltron - which is based on or rather a reboot of a cartoon that I was a fan of way back in the 1980s - Battle of the Planets which eventually morphed into Voltron. It's on Netflix, and is a reboot of the original Voltron. I was a fan of the anime cartoons.

Another one is Sailor Moon - which has a two-part movie on Netflix. (I'm picky about animation.) So mixed feelings about that one.

Also finishing Mandalorian, and watching Tenet, Hacks, and White Lotus on HBO Max. There's so many television shows to watch and so little time and mind-space for them.

3.Was thinking about this today - I've had various actors, directors, and writers ruined for me over the years. I can't bring myself to watch or read or see their art any longer. I know it's kind of silly - because I know folks are more than one thing. Our actions shouldn't define us. People aren't simple creatures, we're complex ones.

But..I can't watch or read these folks without seeing their transgressions right now.

* Tom Hiddleston (my brother ruined him for me - when I visited him. Ugh. Although good news, he only ruined Loki and I didn't like Loki that much anyhow.)

* Bill Cosby

* JK Rowling

* Mel Gibson

* Woody Allen

* Roman Polanski

* Orson Scott Card

* Marion Zimmer Bradley

* James Franco

* Joss Whedon

[Do you have any that have been ruined for you?]

Note I did not say why for a reason - I don't want to foist my dislike onto you.

4. I'm wondering if we've gotten a bit too politically correct in our speech again - as a reaction to the last four years? I get annoyed when people go overboard with semantics.
( Read more... )

5. The outdoor dining establishment around the corner from where I live was destroyed in a car crash today, apparently. Angelica's Outdoor Dining Destroyed in Kensington

The comments to the FB announcement of it?

J: This is awful, but sometimes bikes ride on sidewalks.
T: A bike didn’t do this.
J: that’s the point I am making….
D: what is the point you are trying to make?
J: people on this group constantly complain about bikes being dangerous but cars are what’s killing people and causing damage like this
J: this is why bikes and scooters ride on the sidewalk.
T:couldn’t agree with you more

Me: while from a pedestrian perspective, if there were no such thing as bikes, scooters or cars - life would be good. Take the frigging subway and trains folks - those are safe and you don't kill innocent people.

Also, COVID is killing the wrong people.

6. Gender Neutral Bathroom at the new Penn Station aka Monyhian Station.