This and that...and the other thing...

I decided to take a break from my computer and the internet over the weekend.

I binged Bridgerton S1- S2, in preparation for S3. Probably should have stretched S2 out a bit more...but I got hooked and had forgotten most of it. (It was a re-watch, but I'd forgotten a lot of it. Of the two seasons, Season 2 is by far the best. The only good thing about S1 is the Duke. The writing and everything else is better in S2. Eloise, Daphne, Benedict, Anthony, and Penelope are more interesting. And the heroine is much better. Also the central conflict makes more sense.)

Bridgerton is my cotton candy show - I don't tend to think during it. I just escape into the characters and story. It's not for everyone. But nothing is.

****

Today, I told a co-worker that my goal each day is to help at least one person or solve at least one problem, or move one thing forward. I don't care what it is or who it is for. It can be something as simple as emailing a document to someone in need of it. Or answering a question, any question. If I can do that, if I can in some small way help one person each day than I've accomplished something. If I have found some way to make a co-worker's day or life easier than that's all I need.

I can't control the organization, how it manages people, or its procedures or the work it decides to provide me. All I can do is control how I react to things, and try to help, and be kind. That's my goal to help one person or solve one problem each day.

****

Sisterinlaw posted a missive on Instagram about how it's impossible to really express outrage on social media. To which I replied, as follows:

After over 20 years across various internet platforms, I’ve come to the realization that expressing outrage on social media creates more disinformation and division than connection or systemic change. I think part of the problem is the bulletin board nature of the medium? It’s set up as a marketing tool not a discussion forum. It’s meant to market, sell and promote. Not to discuss and contemplate and express.

Dreamwidth to some extent - you can discuss things, but not always effectively. We used to be able to do it on Voy Forums and some of the listserves, but alas those times seem to be gone? Too many people have gotten used to sound bites, and taking words and sentences out of context.
And don't appear to understand the difference between discussion and bullying/baiting someone into going along with their point of view (otherwise known as guerilla marketing and propaganda).

***

Other than watching Bridgerton and running errands here and there, I accomplished little over the weekend. I walked to the Co-op, which is mainly a grocery store posing as a health food store, and the health food store (actual health food store). This is about a twenty minute walk, give or take.

At the checkout lane, a young woman in full ha-bid, all I could see where her eyes and possibly her nose (it was pretty - so thinking Bengali - they tend to wear brighter patterns and colors than the Pakistan), checked out my groceries.

They'd finally taken down the pesky plastic barriers, which made packaging groceries painful - if you brought your own bags. (Which I kind of have to do, since I'm carrying them back to the apartment not to the trunk of a car. Brown bags won't cut it.)

Checker: So, are you a member?
Me: No.
Checker: Do you shop here often, because -
Me: Not often enough to spend the time and money to become a member.
Checker: You figured out where I was going with that didn't you.
Me: yup.
Checker: Are you 65-or-older because you could -
Me: No.
Checker: Would you like help taking your bags to your car -
Me: I don't have a car. So no.
Checker: Oh, well then you will become nice and strong carrying your bags home.
Me: Uh huh. (I resisted the urge to give her the look of death and instead focused on packing my bags.)

Sigh. I miss the checkers who don't talk to me at all.

***

I was reading Tom Brevoort's substack blog - which is emailed to me. I subscribe. He's the new editor of my other favorite serial - The X-men comics, which is also undergoing a shakeup in writing staff. (Albeit a far smoother one than the television show GH is, DW is also undergoing a far smoother transition, but soaps are notoriously chaotic. So there's that.)

And, hey, the news broke just today that RED DWARF is coming back for another three-episode stint next year, which is absolutely wild to me. I’ve been a fan and a viewer since 1989, when the first two series aired on my local PBS station and I happened to catch a bunch of episodes after work one night. What’s really astounding is that the cast remains absolutely the same after all these years.

Okay, I didn't realize it kept popping up and giving more episodes. Why? I didn't think there was more story there? It seemed kind of complete to me. Admittedly, I'm not the audience for it - nor did I really want more episodes.

I checked. It's official. Sci-Fi Red Dwarf Three New Episodes

Okay. Whatever floats your boat. Not my thing. But I thought I'd throw it out there in case it's yours.

Brevort also said something else that amused me, and I'm willing to bet money he regrets in the next flurry of emails/questions.
( Brevort on the Jean, Wolverine and Cyclops Triangle )