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RIP Peter David & Loretta Swift, and hands off the green dragon

The news keeps pissing me off. I need to stay away from it for a while - and stop sneaking peaks at it from time to time. There's apparently a lot of protests planned today in NYC, and a lot happened on the 27th. I'm no where near them - I live in largely residential area, with lots of trees outside my window and I work at the tip of the Financial District a stone's throw from Battery Park and the Ferries. The protests are in Midtown and the upper West and East Sides of Manhattan, where the tourists and the rich live.

Some sad news, just learned legendary comic book writer Peter David died at the age of 68. While writing a series of Spike comics for IDW, he coined or gave the Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel the Series character of Spike, his last name. William Pratt - it was a two-pronged inside joke. Prat means fool in British, and it is also the real name of screen legend Boris Karloff - William Pratt, who was a British Gentleman known for playing monsters. The television creators of the series loved the idea so much they kept it. But David is actually best known for his award winning runs writing for Spiderman, the Incredible Hulk, X-Factor, X-men, and various others.

( Read more... )

He died of various long-running health issues, and complications resulting from kidney disease.

In addition, as many may already know, Loretta Swift dies at 87. Best known for the role of Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan from M*A*S*H. She was in the pilot of Cagney and Lacey, but they wouldn't let her out of her MASH contract, so the part was replaced by Sharon Glass.

**

Found on FB, not sure if it will post or not.

If you can't see it? It's an ad in the want ads of a paper, that states,
( Read more... )

Helen Gilbert of Unitarian Universalist Society: Nooo don't hurt the green dragon.

Me: Better yet? Can we convince the green dragon to fly over the White House and/or Marlago Bay instead? (With the caveat that the military refuse to kill it. Hands off the dragon, folks.)

Off to bed. I meant to write reviews, but I don't feel like it. Here's another picture instead. Hopefully it will post, no promises.

Entry tags:

memage,
music

Question a Day Memage - May and a bit of June...

28. When was the last time you wore flip-flops (Zories/thongs)?

I don't tend to like them? They hurt my feet. I have high arches (kind of like Barbie), and I live in NYC which just....isn't conducive for thongs. Folks wear them. But city living and thongs don't quite go hand in hand. This is for folks who drive everywhere or live near the beach.

That said, I have a pair. And I last wore it? At the beach in Martha's Vineyard over seven years ago.

29. Do you like mustard? What type, and what do you put it on?

Yes. Grey Poupon or hot mustard. Although depends. I prefer fries with mustard. And mustard on a hamburger, hot dog, or in potato salad. I am not a mayo fan.

30. It’s the International Day of the Potato! What is your favourite way to eat potatoes?

My mother's potato salad, which had some mayo, mustard, and sweet pickles along with onion.

Also fried - either french fries or hash browns

31. It’s Clint Eastwood’s birthday – have you seen any of his films? Do you have a favourite?

Way too many. Hmm...The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, or maybe Two Mules for Sister Sara with Shirley McLaine.

JUNE:
( Read more... )

Now, I'm ahead. Yay.

**

While listening to Schmactors this morning (they were discussing Madonna's music for some reason or other...) and one of the actors loved Madonna's music and the other didn't. And it reminded me of how I'd gotten into fights years ago with people over Madonna. I'm not involve with either individual any longer. One moved away and I barely see them on Facebook, the other, alas is dead (may they rest in peace). We didn't break up over Madonna. So no worries on that front.

Guess which side of the fight I was on?
( Read more... )

Entry tags:

Confessions of a Theater Geek...

Half watching the West End Revival of Kiss Me Kate on Great Performances, and it's not very good. The one on National Theater Streaming is far better. Although the singer performing Lois Lane/Bianca is wonderful. And I like the intergrated casting. The difficulty with Kiss Me Kate is the misogynistic source material, and some of the Cole Porter songs do not date well, while others work quite well. Although the performances are quite good in places. And the guy who did the dance sequence for Too Darn Hot was a showstopper.

Yes, I am theater geek or a theater buff. Ask me about theater, and I can go on and on and on at length, with an almost encyclopedic knowledge. Same is true about television and film.

I fell in love with the theater in the fifth grade - when two tall black boys in a mostly white grade school in the 1970s put together a play as an alternative to playing baseball at recess. It was cold, and we had access to the gym. The play was Snow White and the Seven Dwarves (actually twelve dwarves, we had a lot of folks involved). I was cast as one of the dwarves. I was a tall dwarf, but not that tall - since I was after all only eleven or twelve at the time. My first theater role was a dwarf. To understand how amusing that is? You need to know I was taller than everyone but the two kids directing the play. I think one of their names was DJ or TJ, can't remember. They were wonderful. Kind, smart, and a nice barrier against bullying. No one dared bully or tease me when they were present.

( Read more... )

Sorry for the tangent. Long way of explaining why I enjoy listening to actor podcasts.

Speaking of?

Schmactors is back - basically it's two character actors (James Marsters and his buddy, Mark Devine) from theater, television, voice, and film discussing you guessed it, theater, film, television and everything in between.

I have a fondness for character actors, I seldom love the leads. It's a problem, since it's hard to find anything that they are in. I think the reason is - that I was a character actor. I'm always crushing on actors that seem to only get a few roles, and everything else is hard to find.
I started watching Buffy because of Anthony Head, who I followed there from his previous role on VR5. I'd fallen in love with him - in the stage musical Chess, when he briefly took over his brother's role in the London run of the musical way back in 1988. I'd seen him perform it live - three rows from the stage, or maybe four rows. He blew me away when he sang Pity the Child in that run, and I was in love. (I took a course in London for two months - where we read plays, wrote reviews on the stage productions that we saw performed, and discussed them in detail.)

At any rate, it's getting late...so here's a picture that I painted of people I've seen on the subway, from memory, proof that the subway is perfectly safe. They are. Don't believe the idiots who say otherwise, they clearly don't live in New York.

[Note it won't last forever, because FB is quirky about its links.]

Entry tags:

This and that and the other thing

I woke up in a decent mood and started the day, happy and carefree - yet by the end of it? Grumpy. I think the world likes to chip away at us at times?
Also it's raining, and my right leg is bothering me again. It was fine this morning - more or less, but started bugging me again at lunch time. To cheer myself up - I got a discounted Grand Central mouse pad/post-card, and a NYC 2025 Guide Book (both discounted off by 20%). Also, got a matcha latte. (I'm in love with matcha lattes - with almond milk - they are unsweetened, have almost no calories, and healthy). Sitting at home now, with a heating pad on my back.

1. The Truth About Why You Keep Waking Up at 3AM

I've basically done everything that has been suggested. I'm working on the diet bit - because I think that may be a factor. I realized that my sleep deprivation over the years is most likely why I have some of the health issues that I currently have - well that and menopause and ceiliac disease are probably factors, plus genetics. Honestly there's never one solution or one cause, if there was, the pharmaceutical industry would be out of business.

2. My Buffy Re-Watch - has made me aware of a few things? I'm still in S2.
( Read more... )

3. I do not know what to make of Amanda Palmer. I tried to unsubscribe to her Patreon, but it keeps popping up in my inbox. And I keep deleting. And she keeps talking about how all she does is love, gets browbeaten by trolls, but fights back, and can't talk about what happened until the lawsuit is over. I feel sorry for her - she gets trolled, but I also think that she's been infected by Fame and can't let go of the addiction? What I don't get is why people troll her? I get the anger? But trolling solves little? We're all flawed, let people be.

4. Bono (U2) of all people gave me a smattering of hope today.

Bono on Jimmy Kimmel Live

Kimmel asks him where he stands on the Trump vs. Springsteen issue. He's of course in Springsteen's corner...yada yada yada. But what he says that gave me a smattering of hope is this: "I founded a non-profit bipartisan foundation called ONE and it is made up of a lot of conservative and highly religious people, Anglicans, Catholics, Fundamentalist Christians, etc and they are VERY angry about what the person they voted for is doing to their country and how he is dismantling various fundamental and important life saving aid programs such as US AID and the Peace Corps which have saved millions of lives from AIDS and other diseases and poverty around the world. Taking away programs of compassion and kindness - which are what America is all about. What we are about. So angry that trust me on this, they and we are about to make a lot of good trouble."

I can't emphasize this enough to anyone who stumbles upon my journal, there are numerous coalitions forming around the United States and Globally to fight this administration and it's project 2025 plan. And they are growing daily.

5. MTA vs. the Federal Government.

Tee Hee, the MTA is winning!

MTA: The Feds want us to give up congestion pricing and tell us how to control traffic and transportation in our city. But the Federal court prevented them from vindictively punishing us by removing Federal funding. We are not giving it up. Look here? The New York Times dug deep and proved it is working.

I feel sorry for the MTA, they are fighting everybody. Including idiotic talk radio hosts who think the subways are dangerous. They are not dangerous. I take the subways twice daily, five days a week and sometimes on weekends and to doctor's appointments, basically everywhere. They are safer than cars or buses. And far less stressful. Not to mention cheaper.

Very few people die on the subway. The worst thing I've seen on the subway was a man who was scarred from third degree burns on every inch of his body and begging for money. Also once during the pandemic - a homeless man with a knife. But we were perfectly safe - the conductor stopped the train, got us all off, and called for assistance at the next station.

Entry tags:

More May Memage..and Buffy/Angel fandom bits..

More May Question-A-Day Memage (kudos to the individual who comes up with these questions, I tried it once, and sigh, it did not end well.)

20. Own up – do you have a drawer in your home with stuff you don’t know what to do with, or shove things that you’ll ‘sort out later’ in it? How often do you clear it out?

Yes. Sigh. (I can't remember if I answered this question previously?) And more than one. I'm extremely good at building nests and shoving stuff in drawers. Organized - I'm not. I'm a quirky absent-minded artist. Organization? What's that?

My brother once said he thought I should have become a librarian.
My mother and I both laughed at this. I do not think like a librarian - the only things we have in common is a fondness for books.

21. How would you describe the décor in your main living area?

Cluttered? Artsy? I have wooden Russian Dolls on the tv stand, candles in the window sill - one is a carved owl, self-made pottery, a flower under a glass, cards, a chocolate bunny rabbit, and a glass globe venus universe lamp that's very small. Also a picture of my niece. Then there's my painting station, which has a minuature easel on my desk, with watercolors, a completed painting, a stuffed frog on top of a paper holder with a magazine picture of Cillian Murphy from GQ, above which are two photos of sunflowers, next to that a small felt cube with paints and paper on top of it, and a bookcase overflowing with books, an hand woven basket, a ceramic Christmas tree, and on top of it a large photo on canvas of a sunset. I have knitted throws, and a large television (flat screen) ....it's obvious I'm an artist. Someone comes into this apartment - they'll think artist and writer.

22. Have you ever lived or worked in a skyscraper or high-rise building? Which floor?

I currently work in a skyscraper - on the 18th Floor of a 32 floor skyscraper in the Financial District of Manhattan. I also currently live on the third floor of a 77 unit apartment building, that is six stories.

So yes?

23. Have you ever tried non-alcoholic beer or wine?

Yes. It's not worth the indigestion.

24. Have you ever had a pedicure?

Many times. Highly overrated. And expensive. Not a fan. I don't like the feel of nail polish, also I end up with toe fungus. When I stopped doing that, the toe fungus went away.

25. Are you a fan of popcorn at the movies?

Yes and no? I wouldn't say fan exactly. I do like getting it however.

26. Today the Cooper’s Hill Cheese-Rolling event will take place to celebrate the UK Spring Bank Holiday. A 7-9lb (3-4kg) round Double Gloucester cheese will be rolled down a hill until someone catches it (you can see a video of the spectacle here). Are there any Spring Festival Events in your area?

I live in NYC. I'm sure there are? But I lose track. Nothing like that.
I know they are having a Met Opening Festival next weekend, which may count. Also there's the Macy's annual flower show. And the Cherry Blossoms at the Botanical Gardens.

27. Do you like lettuce? Any particular variety?

Yes, but I'm picky. I like power greens: Chard, Spinach, Kale, Pea Greens,
Baby Spinach, Argula, and Romaine.

I will not eat iceburg - it's like glass on my tummy. That's the cheap stuff.

****

My pictures via FB links are disappearing faster than usual. I may need to figure out Pillowfort or find an alternative soon. Damn FB.

***

I was bored and frustrated this morning at work - so I distracted myself by listening to youtube actor Q&A podcasts on my cell phone.

I listened to David Boreanze - who is kind of boring? But he did say a few interesting things.
( Read more... )

Also another Marsters Q&A. Marsters is far more entertaining and open with the audience. He genuinely enjoys interacting with the fans and the interviewers. He's an entertainer, and just loves being on stage and connecting with an audience. The man is so expressive - he's fun to watch and listen to.
( Read more... )

Time for bed.

So here's a picture:

Entry tags:

The Weekly Good News Report from the American Resistance & It's Global Allies

As always, the good news depends on your perspective, and mileage may vary on this.

To the tune of We're Accentuating the Positive, Eliminating the Negative...and Hanging on to the Affirmative but Don't Mess around with Mr. in Between...sung by Aretha Franklyn (mainly because her version is the only one I like.)

A lot of it is just showing the positive results from non-violent resistance via the courts, etc. But basically as my source states: "We the people are pushing back and making good news." However, there's also a lot of positive environmental news - showing that progress happens regardless, and we are globally making progress in regards to managing climate change and preserving the environment.

1.The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California issued a preliminary injunction that will block the Trump administration’s unlawful reorganization of the federal government while the case proceeds.

( Read more... )

https://democracyforward.org/updates/massive-coalition-of-unions-non-profit-groups-and-local-governments-file-omnibus-challenge-to-unconstitutional-reorganization-of-federal-government/

The court filing can be found HERE

2.This week was the deadline for Congress to act on a resolution that could have overturned the ban on TCE [not to be confused with ICE, this is a toxic chemical]. But thanks to your voices, your stories, and your pressure—Congress didn’t act. The ban on TCE stands.

( Read more... )

https://toxicfreefuture.org/blog/we-finally-won-a-ban-on-toxic-tce-now-some-in-congress-are-trying-to-roll-it-back/

3. Calling for “freedom from partisan interference in programming,” administrative staffers at the Kennedy Center went public with a push to unionize following an overhaul of the institution by the Trump clan.

Go HERE

4. The MeidasTouch Podcast, a show critical of Trump, won Podcast of the Year at the Webby Awards.

https://www.newsweek.com/medias-touch-podcast-webby-award-donald-trump-democrat-2071984?emci=c60a435f-ab32-f011-a5f1-6045bda9d96b&emdi=d3638486-ab32-f011-a5f1-6045bda9d96b&ceid=417324

5. Trump’s support among Latino voters, including those who voted for him in 2024, is fracturing.

https://www.thebulwark.com/p/exclusive-trump-losing-the-latino-voters-he-won-in-2024-equis-poll-survey-registered

6.Democrat Sam Sutton defeated his Republican opponent to win New York’s 22nd State Senate District special election — a district Trump won by 55 points in 2024.

https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/5310726-democrat-sam-sutton-wins-new-york-seat/

7. New record for batteries in California (CAISO) On May 20, 2025, battery discharge crossed 10 GW for the first time. That was enough meet a third of evening peak demand. Solar moved fast, but batteries are moving even faster.

https://energycentral.com/c/em/batteries-hit-new-heights-californias-energy-mix

8. In 2019, California's state wide battery capacity was 770 MW. California’s Energy storage has surge to 15,700 MW - including 2300 MW added since last September. That means a clean resilient energy grid to meet peak demand.

https://energycentral.com/c/em/batteries-hit-new-heights-californias-energy-mix

9. Fusion overtakes scission April 2025: for the first time ever, solar power generated more electricity than nuclear worldwide.

https://environmentamerica.org/center/updates/theres-now-five-times-more-solar-than-nuclear-power-in-the-world/

10. For the first time, a surge on China's renewable energy output has led to a 4.7% drop in the countries carbon and missions despite a 2.5% increase in power demand. This marks is major mile stone and China's energy transition.

https://www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-clean-energy-just-put-chinas-co2-emissions-into-reverse-for-first-time/

( the rest )

There you have it. This weeks list of how people helped slay their monsters and change the world peacefully and without violence. Slayers every one.

And an advertisement.

"Three weeks from right now, people will be taking to the streets across the United States on No Kings Day. Over 1,000 events are planned in all 50 states. Find an event near you: Click on the link and enter your zip code to see all the gatherings near you."

https://www.nokings.org/?SQF_SOURCE=indivisible

Join us on June 14th, all across this country, when we all show up and say NO, we have no kings, we are a representative democracy and we the people have a say in how our lives are run. Let's stand up for those being harmed by these policies, let's take care of our communities, let's take care of each other."

[No pressure, I'm not doing it - I can't physically and mentally do it. I do this instead. But if you can - please do.]

And here's a picture:

Entry tags:

Memorial Day

I finally had a decent night's rest - got a total of 9 hours, with not a lot of waking up between. ( sleep issues and how to fix them )

The weekend has been a quiet one, in which I've done alarmingly little. I took out the trash. And the recycling. Straightened up the clutter a bit. And finished a watercolor. Also did a bit of reading, and way too much time surfing the internet and watching television as one often does. The internet is kind of addictive?

Memorial Day is a US holiday traditionally utilized for memorializing the dead, specifically those who died during our many and seemingly endless number of armed conflicts and wars. I think it was meant to remind us of the consequences of WAR and not to keep having them? If so, I'm not sure it succeeded.

Per Google AI:

"Memorial Day, a national holiday in the United States, honors those who have died while serving in the country's armed forces. Its origins lie in the years following the Civil War, when communities began decorating the graves of fallen soldiers. The holiday, initially known as "Decoration Day," was officially established as a national holiday in 1868. After World War I, the name was changed to Memorial Day, and it became a federal holiday in 1971."

When I was much younger and still residing in the suburbs of Kansas City, I'd visit my Grandmother in Liberty, Missouri - to decorate the graves.

( a seemingly long personal essay on Memorial Day )

Entry tags:

The television report...

1. Daredevil Born Again is bringing back Luke Cage, Iron Fist (who seriously needs to be recast, but whatever), and Jessica Jones to join Daredevil as the Defenders. They are all in S2 Daredevil. (Basically Daredevil is getting the Disney treatment, which works for me - since I liked The Defenders.)

2. Wheel of Time was cancelled by Amazon after the 3rd season. Cancelled due to ratings and a hefty price tag. (Amazon's head honcho got absurdly political and it has cost him.) I haven't made it past S1. I have too many television shows, and the characters didn't grab me for some reason or other. I was thinking of going back to it - but now? Probably not.

3. Finished watching:

* Etoile (on Amazon) while visiting Mother. We both enjoyed it. It's about the Paris and New National Ballet Theaters - trading lead talent in order to booster each others ticket sales. It's in French and English. And has performances by professional ballet dancers, who are also lead actors in the series. Focuses more on the running of the two theaters, and putting together the performances. It's not a relationship drama, so much as a workplace drama or dramedy? It's written by the same people who did Bunheads and Gilmore Girls - so swings towards witty comedic banter and comedic situations.

Etoile was picked up for two seasons by Amazon, so season 2 is being filmed and the entire cast is returning for it.

* The Residence (on Netflix) (finished yesterday) - it's a satirical mystery series, about an unorthodox detective, who is rather brilliant, and prefer to watch birds. ( Read more... )

Other than that - it's fun and hilarious in places, with a farcical humor, touched with light satire.

This works very well as a stand-a-lone. All the plot-threads were satisfyingly closed. I'm not sure I want a second season?

* The Four Seasons - this is a relationship comedy - it is loosely adapted from Alan Alda's 1981 film of the same name, with Tina Fey taking on the Carol Burnett role, and Colman Domingo taking on Jack Weston's role, except as a gay Black man, with his Italian husband (the original was portrayed by Rita Moreno). It's about three couples that vacation together each season. We see them only on their vacations or trips together. The first or main point of view couple is Tina Fey and Will Forte (Katie and Jack), then Danny and Claude (Colman Domingo and an Italian actor), finally Steve Carrol's Nick (and Anne (his wife) and Ginny (the girl-friend, after he divorces his wife). It reminded me vaguely of the original, but I'm not certain how close it is - because I haven't seen the original version since the 1980s. Also, now, I'm the same age as the four couples, when the last time I saw it - I was much younger.

It's okay. I found the other two television series funnier. Wales liked it better than I did. I'm admittedly not a huge fan of relationship comedy.

4. Buffy Reboot

I could be wrong about this? But I'm becoming increasingly convinced that James Marsters is involved in the Reboot, not sure how big his role will be or how he'll be involved. ( Read more... )

Yes, I'm still a fan of Buffy. It was that rare television series which had perfect casting, good writing, and blending of collaborative creative talent in various sections (makeup, stunt craft, writing, directing, production, casting, acting) that just worked and got better as it went. The first season is okay, but the second season ...was leaps and bounds better in all areas. There's a handful of television series that I've been a fan of, and 98% of them are fantasy and science fiction series.
What this says about me, I do not know.

[ETA:
Slayers, Every One of Us: How One Girl in All the World Showed Us How to Hold On by Kristin Russo (Author), Jenny Owen Youngs (Author) -

"Read by the authors and hosts of the hit podcast Buffering the Vampire Slayer, this memoir reflects on heartbreak, perseverance, building community, and life lessons learned from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. This audiobook features bonus songs, jingles, and clips from the podcast and live shows, and contributions from fans/committed Scoobies.

Kristin and Jenny’s marriage started with an ultimatum: to further their relationship, Kristin must watch Jenny's favorite show, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. With the terms set, they began a journey that has led them through seven seasons of the beloved genre show, a podcast rewatching the series with their newly minted listenership of “Scoobies,” unexpected success, and a divorce. Through it all, their love for Buffy and their commitment to their community held them together against the odds."

Sigh, I feel old. Buffering the Vampire Slayer - was a podcast they did to rewatch the show in 2016. I watched the show live between 1997 - 2004, and was on the internet with people discussing as far back as the 1990s. The podcasts I listened to - you can't find now. Nor the sites for that matter. Even my own web site is long gone - although all my essays and fanfic can be found on Ao3, but I didn't write much in the way of fanfic. ]

ETA: Apparently "Slayers" the audio book did amazingly well, too well, and Disney stopped it from doing any more and pulled the rights. (Disney owns the rights to Buffy now, not Fox not Whedon. That's important.) The reason was - they were doing the Buffy Reboot and didn't want Slayers to get in the way of it.

Below is the link to the Q&A where Marsters explains it - it's at the very end of the Q&A. (Marsters Q&A's are highly entertaining, because he clearly loves Conventions and has been going to them since he was thirteen with Star Trek. Most actors at these things are kind of boring. Please note? I have NEVER been to a fan convention, I watch it all on youtube or the internet. I found the American Library Association Conventions and the E-Publishing ones to be headache inducing enough. I hate crowds, claustrophobic convention halls, etc. My idea of hell is a convention. The appeal is lost on me. If I wanted to - I could go to the big one - Comic Con in NYC, but it would kill me.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aj5esoZOi8 ]

5. Also saw two filmed theater performances on PBS (Great Performances). PBS is kind of the US equivalent of the BBC, except it doesn't have quite as much money, and is mostly locally supported by subscribers.

* Next to Normal - I saw the original on Broadway ages ago. This is the West End Revival - in London. Apparently it hadn't made it to the UK, so they revived it. What's remarkable is the entire cast is speaking with an American accent, even though they are all British. I'm surprised they didn't make it British - they could. It's a musical/rock opera about mental illness, grief, and it's devastating effects on the family dynamic- I call it a rock opera, because there's no dancing, and most of the lines are sung, and the band is on stage. It has some truly beautiful music and excellent performances.

* YellowFace - the semi-autobiographical satirical play by David
Henry Kwang about racism in the US. It's hilarious in places and overall rather well done. Danial Dae Kim (Angel, LOST, Hawaii 5-0) portrays Kwang, and Ryan Eggold (Blacklist and New Amsterdam) portrays a Russian actor who can pass as Asian. (Actually I think it's a call out to Yul Brunner and they even reference the King and I.) A lot of the play is actors talking to the audience, and sometimes to each other. It breaks the fourth wall a lot -- in that the actors are directly speaking to the audience or step outside the framework of the play - to do so in monologues. ( Read more... )

Entry tags:

personal

Saturday is sleeping in and watching television

I cancelled the Shingles vaccine for Friday - because I was sleep deprived, and my blood sugar was up. Neither a good combination for a vaccine. I'd only gotten one hour of sleep Thursday night.

Wales: What happened?
ME: I don't know...digestive issues, restless leg syndrome, anxiety...(I certainly lay awake most of Thursday night trying to figure it out. That and how to get comfortable and stop hurting.)

Me: So I cancelled my shingles vaccine. Apparently the potential side effects (which are frankly worse and longer lasting than shingles), are more likely to happen if I'm sleep deprived.
Wales: Good idea. That's the last thing you need right now.

I'm better today. I got 8 hours and 48 minutes of sleep.

I've had shingles. It was a very mild case. I still have the scars, but they aren't noticeable, and not an issue. I'm more afraid of the vaccine at the moment than getting shingle again - shingles are actually treatable if you figure it out in time, and having had them? That's not going to be an issue. Reddit had a thread about side-effects to the Shringrix Vaccine that gave me pause.

Note? I am not advising folks to not get the vaccine. We are not a one size fits all species. Everyone's body is different. Some folks don't get any side effects, outside of maybe a sore arm, others get ill, some have long term side effects. It varies. Also not everyone gets shingles or chickenpox in the same way? I had a relatively mild case, my brother had a severe one. And two co-workers had horribly severe cases of shingles, while mine was relatively mild. That's the problem with our health industry, they want to treat everyone the same - but alas, we are not the same. I most likely wouldn't have any - I haven't had any side effects to either the COVID or Flu vaccines. But I was sleep deprived, and I don't know how this vaccine will affect me.

I've decided to be lazy this weekend. Maybe paint. Maybe read. Maybe write.

***

It's quiet in my apartment today. I've managed to find quiet in a bustling city - both at home and at work. Which may explain why I love New York City and many do not? Because I find the quiet, and it's a peaceful, safe, and comforting sort of quiet, not the lonely kind.

Entry tags:

memage,
photos

More May Memage...

I finally stopped procrastinating and scheduled the first of my Shingles shots. (I've had Shingels, an admittedly mild case, and do not want it again. It's a burning itch and painful. Also takes forever to go away, with periodic phantom burning itches long afterward.) Doing it tomorrow, because that will give me two-three days - in case I get sick. (I didn't with the other vaccines, so it's unlikely I will. But one never knows.)

Tomorrow - Bob Dylan's musical "Girl from the North Country" premiers on Great Performances. I'm enjoying the televised presentations of Broadway shows. Means I can see them, and so can everyone else?

Rainy day. Cool. But I have the A/C and fans on - because they are blasting the heat again. Radiator heat.

Didn't sleep well last night - due to digestive issues and restless leg syndrome. (My legs and back were bothering me.) Hopefully will be better tonight.

More May Memage...or rather I'm catching up

10. Ellen Ochoa was born today in 1958 and was the first Hispanic woman to travel to space in 1993. Would you like to travel to space?

No. I've seen spaceships - they are not made for tall people. Or anyone who is even a little claustrophobic. Also, I get motion sickness. And I know what happens to the human body while it is in space - it's not pleasant. We were not created for 0 gravity. I have enough medical issues.

I rather like what William Shatner said after going to space, which is - there's nothing there. Stay here.

11. What’s your favourite way to eat eggs?

Poached on greens with lemon juice and lemon pepper. Or scrambled with a little cream.

I had coddled eggs with mother, but I prefer poached.

12. Do you regularly moisturize your feet?

No. Probably should. But my feet are a long ways from my torso. I'm six foot, and most of my height is in my legs. I'm long limbed.

13. Do you remember when you bought your first computer?

Yes. It was in the 1990s. A Macintosh - small screen. Prior to that - my parents did - and that was an Apple II way back in the 1980s. Big a clunky, with MS DOS. It was before we had Windows.

14. Have you still got access to an Avon representative locally? Have you ever bought products from Avon?

No. No. Although there were reps at my workplace, I ignored them. I don't like spending money on makeup and buy little of it. Also we can get better products at Wallgreens or Sapphora.

15. Who cleans the toilets in your home?

There's only one. And there's only me. And I refuse to hire anyone to do house work for a one bedroom apartment. So...
( the rest )

Another photo...hopefully you can see it, I never know with FB links.

Entry tags:

Good News Report - We are One in a Million Strong

Good news, depending on one's perspective? It also shows how the courts check the executive branch or how the system of checks and balances works.

Prior to going into this? A nice little video about how a "bill" becomes a "law" in the US, which shows how the Legislature and Executive Branch interact and check each other. The US is a democratic Republic with a system of Checks and Balances, it's not a Parliamentary System, although the system did borrow heavily from it.

I'm Only a Bill...via School House Rock.

[For those who don't already know? School House Rock along with the Afterschool Special was ABC's response to the Children's Television Act of the 1970s and 1990s, which required American Broadcasting to provide television shows aimed at educating children and were "child" appropriate. And specifically the creation of advertising executive who decided cartoons would be a cool way to teach kids.
( Read more... )

( I'm Only a Bill..Just a Bill )

And a fun little one about our Checks and Balances known as the 3 Ring Circus, it explains in simple terms what each branch of the US government is responsible for:
( checks and balances )
Both are rather oversimplified explanations. It's more complicated than that, and if we add in the State Legislatures, Executive Branches, and Courts, it gets even more so. There's a reason you can't practice law in the US without passing both the individual State Bar Exam and the Multi-State Bar Exam (Federal). Also not every State recognizes every other State's Bar, since the regulations and laws per state vary.

So, its not just a check and balances between the Executive (enforces the laws), the Legislative (creates the laws), and the Courts (interprets the laws and determines if the newly created laws or their enforcement contradicts the US or State Constitutions and are invalid, and how they should be enforced) - it's also a checks and balances between the States vs. Federal, States vs. States, and States vs. Local, and add to all of that other countries or what is known as International Law, and International Trade and Treaties. This type of law is practiced and taught under Administrative Law (which has various regulations and policies in place to enforce the laws), and Constitutional Law, also Civil Law, Criminal Law, and Procedural Law.

Hopefully the above will give anyone who wasn't taught all of this in law school or civics courses or isn't a legal professional working with administrative laws and regulations daily - a simplified road map towards understanding what is currently happening? (shrugs)

Now, for the good news, or a demonstration of how all of this is actually working to beat back fascism and uphold our civil rights in a peaceful and non-violent manner. [As always, mileage may vary on whether this is good news and it's in the eye of the beholder.]

1.A federal court temporarily blocks the president’s unconstitutional executive order attempting to require proof of citizenship to register to vote.

https://www.votebeat.org/2025/04/24/trump-executive-order-elections-preliminary-injunction/

2. Mohsen Mahdawi, a college student arrested by ICE following his citizenship interview, is released from detention by order of a federal court while his immigration case proceeds.

https://abcnews.go.com/US/lawyers-columbia-student-detained-ice-seek-release-case/story?id=121317902

3.19 states and Washington, DC sue the Dept. of Health and Human Services and its leadership over the unconstitutional dismantling of various federal programs vital to Americans’ health.

https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/05/health/states-sue-trump-administration-hhs-rfk

4.A U.S. district court rules that the presidential administration cannot use an 18th-century wartime law to deport people from Venezuela living in the U.S. ( explanation of what is happening here )

5.Colorado passes a bill to uphold public school students’ access to diverse reading materials.

https://coloradonewsline.com/briefs/colorado-limit-school-library-book-bans/

( the rest - not just court cases )

"Since day one of the new administration, We The People have fought in the courts, legislatures, and the streets to defend our civil rights against any attack:
( Read more... )

As stated earlier in this post - the US does have things already in place and historically embedded over 200 years, that enable us to fight back and to do so peacefully.

Another School House Rock Ditty... No More Kings - which I think explains the American character rather well, even if it leaves a lot out, unfortunately.

Also these:

* Electoral College - Send Your Vote to College

* The Constitution - the Preamble

* Declaration of Independence - Fireworks

And finally, a new protest song by Joan Baez and Janis Ian:

Watch on YouTube

Entry tags:

Another Day, Another Photo...

Actually, I took the following picture yesterday - on my walk around a section of the financial district. The section that is in front of Trinity Church and towards the Freedom Tower. Didn't go that far yesterday - because my leg was bothering me, and I didn't have a lot of time. At any rate I've been down this cobble stone road before -- it's completely blocked off to traffic - due to the New York Stock Exchange being on the cross street. Security and historic preservation.

The street is in front of The Trump Building (which I have not taking a photo of - because it's an ugly building, and not worth it - it's circa 1930s gothic, but it's ugly). And across from the Trump Building aka 40 Wall Street is...a Caribbean Jerk Chicken Vending Truck - smells delicious. (I'd get some - but my dietary restrictions keep me at bay.)

The Jerk Chicken Stand is kind of sticking the finger to Trump, it's right across from his Building, is the only vendor stand across from it, and the only vehicle across from the building. And about as diverse and non-white as you can get. Gotta love it. There's all sorts of subtle little protests across the Financial District.

My new work digs, as you may have guessed by now, is a photographer's dream come true. So many new things to take photos of.

Work was better today, aided greatly by sleep - I slept 6 hours and 43 minutes as opposed to 5 hours and twenty-three minutes, and that made a huge difference in my cognitive abilities. ( personal stuff - kind of boring...actually )

Anyhow, need to stop this and make dinner. But before I do? On today's walk, I discovered a little farmer's market, where I picked up gluten-free Irish Soda Bread, and gluten-free biscotti. I've never had either. So was happy with my finds.

It was just across the street from my office building. Insanely convenient.

And not much further, was Battery City Park, and this lovely little walk complete with lots of flowers in full bloom. They are hardy little flowers, and unlike the impatiens around Bowling Green Park, actually survived the dip into the 40s last night. I have no idea what they are called. I take pictures of flowers - I can't grow them or remember their names. I may be many things, but a horticulturist or botanist is not among them. The green thumb jumped over me and landed on my brother.

Entry tags:

memage,
photos

May Question a Day Memage...

I got behind. Sorry about that. So you are getting 19 questions as opposed to four or five.

Brief whine? Sigh, FB at times pummels me with stupid opinions. Also it wants me to save the world? I cannot save the world. No one can save the world. It's not possible. Been there, done that, have the battle scars. I learned long ago, the only person you can save in this life is yourself and even that can be dicey, because let's face it the world is determined to kill us. Kind of hard to save something that is trying to kill you.

Oh, forgot, the Buffy Reboot has cast its Buffy - it's the female lead from The Skeleton Crew. (And yes, I thought she was a bit young for the role too. I've mixed feelings about this. But I'm also not the target audience?)

May Memage

1. The first of May – it’s Labour Day, also known as International Worker’s Day. If you’ve retired, how long (in years) did you work for before you stopped? If you are still working, how long will it be, before you retire?

Interestingly enough, it's not in the US, for various reasons they moved that to September. (I think it's because we have Mother's Day and Memorial Day in May, and that's one too many holidays? I don't know.)

With any luck it will be four and a half years. I plan on retiring at 62.
But we shall see.

2. Do you own a toolbox? What does it have in it?

I do. It's not a tool box though - it's a plastic container with various tools. And I can't find it - it's hidden in my closet. Handy - I'm not. That's my brother. The domestic, handy-man, gardening, and nurturing genes leaped over me and landed on him. He cleans, he makes maple syrup, he installs shelves and windows (even builds them) along with a loft space, he rewires his kitchen, he puts together his stove, he creates a huge five acre vegetable garden complete with a mini orchard, he takes care of his cats, his daughter, he outfits her car with a sink...the man is insanely talented. I'm lucky if I can assembly a table or a peddler that comes in the mail.

3. How old is the home you live in?

It's pre-war, so 1920s? Possibly earlier. It comes complete with a fall-out shelter.

4. Do you often wear shorts?

No, I prefer capris or pants that come down just below the knee, or long shorts.

5. Today, in 1864, Nellie Bly was born (the pen name of Elizabeth Cochrane, an American journalist). An American journalist, she is widely known for her record-breaking trip around the world in 72 days in emulation of Jules Verne's fictional character Phileas Fogg. Have you read ‘Around The World in 80 Days’ or seen a film adaptation?

Yes, I've seen the television series (with Pierce Bronsan and the one with David Tennant, the one with Tennant is better), along with the film adaptation with David Niven. If you want to see one? See the one with David Tennant, Bronsan and Niven aren't as entertaining. I may have read it - but can't remember.

6. Do you sit at a dining table when you eat a meal at home?

I don't have one, so no. Did that when I visited mother. At home? I sit and eat at my coffee table with a dinner tray.

7. Are you usually early or late to meetings/appointments?

Early. I hate to keep people waiting on me. I'd rather wait on them? Also, I have a fear of missing something or missing the appointment.

8. Do you know how to find the North Star (Polaris in the Northern Hemisphere) or the Southern Pole Star (Sigma Octantis in the Southern Hemisphere) in the night sky?

No. I used to, but forgot.

9. What was the first fandom you were ever involved in?

Buffy.

[I have to go to bed, so stopping there tonight. You'll have to wait to see the rest, I guess. Here's a picture from my walk at lunchtime today:

Current Location: Home
Current Music: The Beatles - Abbey Road

Entry tags:

Have you seen the news today? Oh Boy! (I know - let's look at flowers instead?)

[The title is actually a riff off of a Beatles song lyric, the song is entitled A Day in the Life written in 1967 by John Lennon during the Vietnam War. (Lennon didn't really write protest songs, he wrote riffs on what he observed around him.) A nasty war - and the last war that Americans were "drafted" to serve. A lot of folks fled to Canada during that WAR to avoid the draft. It lasted seemingly forever. They did away with the draft partly because of that War. My uncle was in it, and when I visited France in the 1980s, I stayed with a French family whose father had served in Vietnam, on the French side, when France was occupying it. We really don't learn from each other, do we? I also got to visit a bunch of WWII bunkers when I was visiting France in the 1980s. I was staying in Bretagne, and the bunkers were Nazi bunkers along the beaches, while the Nazi's occupied France back in the early 1940s.It's actually an interesting song.. and it starts with the following lyrics:

"I read the news today oh boy
About a lucky man who made the grade
And though the news was rather sad..." ]

I came back to work today and felt bombarded with information. I went on my personal email - and felt bombarded with information. I went on my Firefox Browser (which has various articles) and felt bombarded with information.
Most of it anxiety inducing, or just confusing.

I looked at the national news? And thought...ACKKKK! Then looked at the global news? And thought... ACKKK! Local news isn't quite as bad? But still...ack? ( A Mexican Navy Ship crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge over the weekend, it was a lovely sailing ship, destroyed the sails and injured and killed a few crew members and passengers. And that wasn't the worst news (I won't tell you what that is - mainly because I managed to forget about it completely and do not feel like hunting it down). It was all over the local news (the Mexican Navy Ship accident - they are still trying to figure out why it crashed and why it lost control of its navigation, apparently). That and the NJ Transit Strike - which appears to have reached a tentative agreement, resolving the strike.) I just wanted the weather. The weather in NYC isn't that bad, it's 70F/21C at the moment. And it was 55F/12C this morning. With a breeze. A crisp spring day. I wore a sweater and a jacket. On the way home? Just the jacket.

It's also very pretty in NYC, especially in Brooklyn, which is heavily wooded and residential (or the area I reside in, is, not all areas are created equal). NYC has a policy - for every tree removed, you plant about twenty. It used to be two, now, it's twenty. So as a result, we have a lot of trees. Also flowers - due to the climate, which is relatively mild in comparison to 85% of the rest of the country, we have all sorts of flowers and they last for a long time.

See?

Some bearded irises of the purple variety...

Some of the orange variety - at least I think they are orange. I personally prefer purple, but your mileage may vary.

And...whatever this is...

Also, kind of sore today -( Read more... )

Anyhow.. I'm trying to avoid the news at the moment for my mental health (aren't we all? I'm sure you can all relate?). (Also it's not like I can do anything about it? Everyone wants money - I don't have enough to go around and still survive. Also, it feels a bit like I'm throwing it down a well. Conflict and protesting make me physically ill. So I guess I'll just keep muddling through and doing what I am doing? Also the news for the most part has been following a specific pattern, or so I've noticed? At the start of the week it is horrible, and then sometime around the weekend, it becomes rather optimistic. So avoid the news until well, the weekend?)

Makes me think of this Beatles album I linked you to? It ends with...George Harrison's Here Comes the Sun. (George was more optimistic than Lennon, who wrote Day in a Life.) Someone on social media stated George Harrison was banning the Republicans from using his music, and I felt the need to advise them that Harrison was dead. Long dead. Kind of impossible, unless it's his estate or he's doing it from the grave?

Anyhow, here's another iris..

Sleepy and Lazy Sunday...

I'm lusting after cabinets that I can't really afford right now or assemble for that matter. This 8 drawer Van Goh cabinet and this shoe cabinet, Winchell 2 door accent cabinet and my favorite Angela 2 Door Accent Cabinet.

But alas, no. I'll probably get storage baskets from Amazon instead. It's purchasing the assembly that throws me off. I need a handyman friend or relative who lives close by whose willing to exchange this for either paintings or baked gluten free muffins.

***

I'm behind on television reviews, and the question a day memage. Two weeks behind on both.

Will try to catch up next week. I need to go to bed now.

Here's another flower...

Entry tags:

Entertainment News...

I'll try to stay away from politics. ;-)

1. Krysten Ritter aka Jessica Jones joins Daredevil Born Again S2

During Disney’s 2025 upfront presentation on Tuesday, Krysten Ritter took the stage to announce that she is joining the cast of Daredevil: Born Again Season 2. Joined by Daredevil actor Charlie Cox, Ritter revealed that she’ll be reprising her role as Jessica, the beloved Super Hero/private investigator.
( Read more... )

[I'm happy. I loved the Daredevil/Jessica Jones platonic pairing. And she's my fav next to Daredevil.]

2. The Diplomat has been Renewed for S4 on Netflix

The Night Agent also got renewed for S3, even though it has choppy plotting to say the least. S2 isn't as good as S1.

And Etoile on Amazon - was automatically renewed for S2.

3. In more Streaming News? "Netflix has acquired the rights to The Chronicles of Narnia and is developing new films and series based on the books. Greta Gerwig is writing and directing at least two Narnia movies for Netflix. The first film, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, will have a limited theatrical release in IMAX on November 26, 2026, before premiering on Netflix on December 25, 2026. The Narnia films will be "bigger and bolder than they thought," potentially including all seven books in the series."

GO HERE

4. CNN has an exclusive deal to air the live theater showing of George Clooney's Good Night and Good Luck direct from Broadway.

CNN to televise George Clooney in the Broadway Play Good Night and Good Luck Live from Broadway on June 7

This is a first in Broadway History.

" The limited-run play’s penultimate performance from the Winter Garden Theatre in New York will air live on CNN and CNN International and stream on CNN.com at 7 p.m. ET.

“This announcement marks a historic Broadway first: never before has a live play ever been televised,” the network said in a news release.

The show is an adaptation of the 2005 movie Clooney directed of the same name and is based on veteran journalist Edward R. Murrow’s work and tension with Republican Sen. Joseph McCarthy during the Red Scare of the 1950s.

The play, which debuted in March, swiftly shattered weekly records, becoming the highest-grossing play in Broadway history. It has also earned five Tony Award nominations, including Clooney for best leading actor in a play.
( Read more... )

5. On PBS (PBS Passport via streaming and PBS at various local stations) - Great Performances - has shown to date the UK West End Production of Next To Normal and Yellowface (starring Daniel Dae Kim and Ryan Eggold) and coming up, Bob Dylan's Girl from the North Country, these are all filmed presentations of Broadway shows (not live, taped or filmed).

Note - other Broadway shows that have been filmed are: Merrily We Roll Along (bought by Sony) starring Danial Radcliff and Jonathan Goff, Frozen, Hadestown, and Aladdin.

If you get the chance to see either or both Next to Normal and/or Yellowface, do so. I highly recommend both. One is a beautifully rendered musical about mental illness and grief, and how the two intersect and are often difficult to separate, also their destructive influences on relationships and family dynamics. It has songs that will haunt you long after you hear them. The other, Yellowface, deals with race dynamics in the US, from multiple sides, and is a clever satire on all of it, from a Chinese-American perspective.

6. Netflix - unveils ... Wednesday starts August 6, with part 2 of the Season is in September

The Addams Family world gets bigger (and eerier) with Wednesday, returning for Season 2 Part 1 on Aug. 6, with Part 2 following on Sept. 3. Gen Z horror standout Jenna Ortega leads the altogether ooky drama’s cast as the titular supernatural detective, Wednesday Addams. The upcoming season will explore a new bone-chilling mystery at Nevermore Academy, as well as characters both familiar and strange to Wednesday fans.

“Wednesday Season 1 was a table setter, but there’s still so much of the world left to see. It’s been exciting to expand the scope and the vision of the show this season,” executive producer Alfred Gough said. Fellow co-creator and co-showrunner Miles Millar agreed, saying, “We have a broader canvas and more toys to play with. The world of Nevermore is much expanded — and we had a great time doing it.”

7. Bridgerton S4 airing in 2026 on Netflix

The cast is revealed, along with the plot thread, and some preview shots.
Also it's renewed for five and six.

***

I'm off to make dinner. So here's a picture from my walk today to the grocery store. We've moved from tulips to irises in NYC, specifically Brooklyn...odd flower irises, I kind of prefer tulips.

Entry tags:

The Return of the Good News Report

[Not only was I out on a much needed vacation last week, but I also couldn't find any good news on FB or my other sources while I was out. It didn't pop up on my news feed until yesterday and today. (I'm thinking my sources took a break for Mother's Day?)

It was quite distressing, not helped by Mother - who likes to watch CNN, ABC News, and occasionally FOX to see what a lot of her friends and neighbors are digesting news wise and to try and understand them better. Mother is 82, and an information junkie. She and my father spent most of their dates debating politics in bars to the wee hours of the night while they were in college. Every time I'd try to be optimistic or bring up good news, Mother would discount it and play devil's advocate, mainly because she watches CNN, Fox, NPR, ABC News, and all their discussions of it. I read it - in the Atlantic, New York, Vanity Fair, and The New Yorker. Although now, I'm overwhelmed with magazines. So not reading as many articles as I'd like. I'm trying to support a free press. Not everybody has one - after all. And I'm not taking mine for granted.]

That's clearly not necessarily good news? Or it is depending on one's perspective? Good news much like beauty and humor is more often than not in the eye of the beholder.

Good News from the American Resistance and It's Global Allies

[As always this is in the eyes of the beholder.]

1. Supreme Court extends block on some Alien Enemies Act deportation flights. Go Here.

The gist:

Supreme Court rules 7-2 AGAINST Trump on Deportations.
No, they cannot deny due process
No, they cannot remove these people under Alien Enemies Act.
And of course Alioto and Thomas were the dissenting votes. [Sigh.]

( Read more... )

2. The GOP suffered a stunning election loss in Omaha, Nebraska, where Democratic candidate John Ewing Jr. will go on to win defeat the longest serving incumbent Republican mayor in the United States former Mayor Jean Stothert. The election swung 20 points over to the Democrats.

3. New York’s Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul signs a law that will require fossil fuel companies to pay for climate damage repair. The new state law requires the companies responsible for the bulk of emissions produced between 2000 and 2018 to pay out roughly $3 billion a year for the next 25 years. ( Read more... ) GO HERE.

4. A federal court denies the Trump administration’s request to stay an injunction blocking its ban on transgender military service members. [Source: Lambda Legal & Human Rights Campaign.]

5. US District Court mandates that ICE restore 133 international student visas and halts deportation proceedings. Go HERE

6.ACLU Executive Director Anthony Romero is named to the TIME100 list for his commitment to America’s civil-liberties tradition. Go HERE

7. ProPublica wins 2025 Pulitzer for Public Service for reports on deaths of pregnant women in abortion-restricted states. Ann Telnaes, who quit The Washington Post in protest, wins the 2025 Pulitzer for Illustrated Reporting and Commentary. The Pulitzer Prize board soundly rebuked Jeff Bezos by awarding the former Washington Post cartoonist who quit after her cartoon was scrapped. Book on Soviet dissidents wins Pulitzer Prize. "To the Success of Our Hopeless Cause: The Many Lives of the Soviet Dissident Movement" by Benjamin Nathans won a Pulitzer Prize on May 5. Percival Everett won the award for fiction for his novel James, a powerful re-imagination of Huckleberry Finn. [Oh lovely, Wales gave me that book for my birthday (at my request), looking forward to reading it after Parable of the Sower.]

8.The Associated Press wins reinstatement to White House events after a judge rules that the government cannot bar its journalists. Go HERE

9.In a win for voters, North Carolina settled with voting rights groups and the DNC to permanently block part of a law that required officials to reject some voters' ballots due to address verification issues and offered no remedy to fix the problem. Go HERE.

10. Harvard refuses to comply with a list of extraordinary demands from the Trump administration, asserting its academic independence and constitutional rights.

( the rest )

As always, good news is in the eye of the beholder.

Hope you found something to smile about or to relieve anxiety. I know I did.

It's late, off to bed. Have a good night. Or Good Night and Good Luck - Edward R. Murrow (historic newsman during the McCarthy Hearings in the 1960s, who reported against the Blacklist and the McCarthy Hearings.)

Also, here's another pretty picture...

Entry tags:

I'm Back!

Miss me? Most likely not - it's not like there isn't a ton of content on the internet to weed through.

While I enjoyed my visit and being with my mother, I'm happy to be home.

For the most part, the trip went without a hitch. I got onto the island without any issues. It was pouring. But not until after we landed. And by Tuesday, the sun was out, blue sky, and temperatures reaching the lower 80s. Sunday and Monday had bits of sunshine. Actually it rained more in New York this past week than it did on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.

The trip back was delayed by about an hour - we sat on the tarmac waiting for inclement weather ahead of us to clear. Or so we were told by the pilot over a horrible intercom system. I could barely hear him, and spent the hour wondering if I'd heard him correctly. (I had.) When I got into Laguardia Airport, it was clearing for the most part, and I even saw spots of blue sky. However, the airport was packed - just about every flight was delayed. Apparently they were having tornado warnings in Chicago and Milwaukee, and inclement weather throughout the Northeast and Midwest.

I didn't fly out until 4 pm. So had a nice lunch with one of mother's friends, an 86 year old, tiny woman, who came up to my thigh, and had traveled extensively in her lifetime, and at one time had worked as an EMT in volunteer rescue. She regaled us with stories from that time in the car on the way to the restaurant, and she insisted on paying for our meal (since mother had paid for hers the last go time). The restaurant, Dockside at Skull Creek - had a gluten free menu, and I was able to get fried shrimp, french fries, and cole slaw, with shrimp cocktail sauce - all gluten-free. (This is a rarity.) They actually have quite a few places on the island that have gluten free menus now. (But our go-to spot, Ruan Thai, is no longer an option. They no longer have gluten free available. Sad to say.) It was a lovely day - so I got to look at the boats, and watch the egrets and pelicans.

***

Backing up a bit to Monday. Saturday - Mother's street and front yard briefly flooded, but it also quickly cleared. We drove through it on the way to lunch (which we had to wait a bit to drive to - since it was coming down in buckets).
( Read more... )
After nothing but rain on Monday, or so it seemed (we watched television most of the day, chatted, read, and relaxed), however,Tuesday was a lovely day. So after lunch, we went to a private residential beach - at Dolphin Head, which is also a bit of a wildlife refuge and recreational area.

There's no development permitted, and they've increased the sand to build up the beach and protect the marsh land behind it.

People don't tend to swim in the water, and for the most part just enjoy the beach. It's never crowded and you don't see many folks lying on the beach or playing on it.

( lots of beach pictures )

Mother and I aren't huge beach goers - I don't particularly like sand or lying on beaches. Walking yes, lying no. And while I did go down to the water, I didn't dip my toes in it. I decided it had wild life in there, and I didn't want to get my feet caked with sand or the sandals. It did - there was a lot of seaweed washed up on a section of the beach. I did watch a flock of sand-pipers fly in and out of the waves, jumping about on the beach hunting sand crabs (these are crabs that burrow under the sand, with a little air hole, some find shells - they are kind of like hermit crabs).
They are tiny little birds, and I do not have the right camera to effectively capture them.

While Mother sat on a bench and talked to her younger sister (who lives in Michigan), I wandered about on the beach.

***

The next day, Wednesday was equally lovely. Blue skies, and in the low 80s.
So after going on a brief, but productive (if somewhat pricey) shopping spree (I bought six items, three shirts, three pants, and at least two of the shirts were heavily marked down - so not too bad), we went to Jarvis Park. We did lunch first at the Sante Fe Grill. Where I had a corn Enchilda, refried beans, and salad (I couldn't have the rice - since it was coated in a wheat flour sauce - and I'm ceiliac - yes, I know, it's rice, but I didn't mind - I have issues with rice.) Also a huge chocolate mousse for desert. Chocolate Mousse is basically my favorite desert next to flourless chocolate cake.

Jarvis Park is another environmentally sustainable recreational area designed to protect the marshland and environment, and provide an area for people to walk and exercise.

Originally it was just a small pond. Then it became a small park, with some plantings, and a small pound. Now it is a huge lake, with streams, and creeks, and a water reclamation center. Also a home to alligators, egrets, birds of all kinds, fish, etc. Although I only saw a few egrets this time. Mainly because people were out, the water was high, and it was warm.

( Two pictures or views of the lake )

( An ancient tree covered with Spanish Moss )

( walking through the woods )

The lake is just over about a mile or two around, and it took me about twenty - thirty minutes to walk it. I didn't do a brisk pace, mainly because my leg had been bothering me a bit. Mother sat on a swing chatting with her younger sister, while I walked the circumference of the park. Mother calls her sister each day. Mother is doing rather well health wise, her sister, not so much.

Anyhow, it's late, and while for the most part I slept rather well during my trip, I did not sleep well last night. I never sleep well prior to a trip. And I'd eaten things the night before that undoubtedly kept me awake.
So, I must beg you all adieu and go off to bed.

I'll leave you with another photo...this one of Mother's backyard, or rather the golf course that comprises her backyard. (I'm NOT a fan of golf, but this is pretty for the most part.) This is actually about five houses down from Mother. You have to walk about five minutes to see it.

I'm leaving on a jet-plane...but I do know when I'll be back again..

I'm leaving on a jet plane... to see my mother in South Carolina, or rather an island off the coast of South Carolina on Saturday morning. It's raining here now, but tomorrow, it will be sunny in NYC, until I reach South Carolina - where it is supposed to rain for well four of the six days that I'll be down there. (I'm flying out of Laguardia not Newark - I avoid Newark like the plague.) I'm flying back Thursday afternoon.

The song "Leaving on a Jet Plane" was written by John Denver, but made famous by Peter, Paul and Mary. (I didn't know it was written by John Denver, I actually thought it was written by Peter, Paul and Mary.)

Other songs that are surprising in that way?

Me and Bobby McGee was written by Kris Kristofferson NOT Janis Joplin.

Blowing in the Wind by Bob Dylan NOT Peter, Paul and Mary.

I will always love you by Dolly Parton NOT Whitney Houston (don't feel sorry for Dolly - she made more money than Whitney ever did off of that song.)

Fancy by Bobbie Gentry NOT Reba McIntire.

At any rate, I most likely won't be posting anything until I get back from South Carolina, sometime next Thursday (which will be late in the evening) or Friday. Off to bed now, since I'm getting up around 4:15 to leave for the airport around 5:15. I need to get there early enough - since airport security is bound to be a headache with the new requirements.

Have a great weekend and week.

Entry tags:

End of April Memage, 70s Television Themes, and Met Gala

First things first - still rainy, cooler, and humid (because rain). But better mood for some reason or other. Maybe I slept better?

Cultural Items worth noting:

Music

Stumbled upon this interesting youtube podcast with a music nerd (they are always men for some reason?), and this is the top 10 70s Television Theme Songs (I clicked on it because the click-bait headline (they always have clickbait headlines) was "Director Told 14 year old Son to Write the Stupidest Song Became the Best TV Song Ever". That's a very long clickbait headline.

I figured out what it was before I clicked (but was curious to see if I was right), because I listened to the biography of Robert Altman. But he's wrong - it's not the director of the television show. It was the director of the film, who famously despised the television show and tried to block it. (He obviously didn't and would kick the Professor of Rock from the grave for indicating he was even remotely involved with it). He also joked that his son made more money off of rights to the song than he did from directing the film. Although, usually you just hear the composition. The reason the song is so good - is the achingly haunting composition by Johnny Mandel (who actually performed it in the film) and he turned it into magic.

Guess which song I'm talking about?

Met Gala

Looked at all the costumes, sorry fashions, today at work. ( I was bored.)
Then discussed with Art History Major - her favs were..

Louis Hamilton's Outfit

( photo )

Sabrina the Ring Leader

( photo )

I explained to AHM and Mother over the phone tonight - that they don't wear those outfits for as long as you think. In reality, they change in a special changing area about two blocks away, get in a limo, arrive, disembark, do the big photo shoot, then enter the lobby, another photo shoot, then change and go to the party. No cameras are allowed in the Museum itself. And only a scant few journalists. So a lot of the guests have a change of clothes. Also they don't always buy the outfits - they are wearing them to display the art, then oftentimes the outfit is either donated to the Museum or a gift. It's to show off the designer - like a runway show.

AHM: So they only wear them for 15 minutes?
Me: Yup. Usually they are wearing sweats or jeans at the party. It kind of explains a lot, if you think about it.

Another tidbit worth noting? The Gala is always chaired and hosted/put on by the Editor and Chief of Vogue, Anne Wintour, who banned Trump and his entire family from the Gala in 2017.

AHM: She should have done it for life.
ME: She did.

****

Question a Day Memage

I'm behind again:

End of April

27. If you could change one thing about your appearance, what would that be?

At the moment my hair - or rather how it parts and my forehead. But I honestly don't know how I'd change it.

No, wait, my back. I'd love to ditch the curvature resulting in rounded shoulders. I want a straight spine, damn it. (It's physically impossible without surgery and just no. Besides, everyone seems to end up with rounded shoulders by their 70s and 80s.)

28. In 1761 Marie Harel was born – a French cheesemaker credited with the invention of Camembert. Are you a fan of this type of cheese?

Yes. I like cheese. It's a guilty pleasure, I admit it. And I love Camembert. The smellier the cheese, the better.
( the rest under the cut )