Wednesday, March 31, 2021
Wandering Across An Eleventy Minute Wednesday Window
Tuesday, March 30, 2021
Readjustments
It was a good idea and a much-needed break.
We would spend the weekend in North Georgia, anchored at a vrbo (vacation rentals by owner) near Athens.
Step one was to drive to Milledgeville and see our son at Georgia College State University. If his homework was under control, he would come with us. The vrbo we rented had two problems.
As we were parking near Benjamin's dorm, we got the message - the owner had to cancel our stay because the fuse box went out and would not be repaired until after the weekend. We were all dressed down and no place to go.
No matter. We would readjust. We made reservations to stay at a motel in Milledgeville and travel up to see points north from there.
As soon as we settled into that motel room, the whole motel lost water. We went to Benjamin's dorm room to "freshen up." Later that evening, the water was back on.
The projected weather was rainy, so we didn't know how much we could see. We adjusted our plans to indoor things, but by the afternoon, it had cleared up enough for us to take in the State Botanical Gardens.
In fact, the sun was out and hot, and we were dressed wrong for that, but we readjusted the best we could.
All in all, for all the readjustments we had to make, we had a good time. It was a nice visit with our son and seeing new and familiar places, even if we didn't get as far north as originally planned.
Biggest surprise - did y'all know that Covington, Georgia, had been taken over by Vampire Diary fans? They were all over and had big tour groups and such. Apparently, the show is filmed in Covington, disguised as Mystic Falls. And here I thought Covington was famous for being the film location for The Dukes of Hazzard? Times and circumstances readjust everything, I guess.
Speaking of readjusting, this is my first post since Monday, March 22nd. No matter how I plan to accommodate my blog writing, things happen to mess that plan up, and I have to readjust.
Be patient.
I will get my groove back.
Somehow.
Stay safe,
T. M. Strait
Monday, March 22, 2021
A Season Delayed
I so want to get tax season over with.
But no such luck.
The IRS has delayed the individual tax deadline to May 17th.
Even though I have been semi-retired, I have been generally respectful of major tax deadlines, particularly centered around March 15, April 15, and October 15th. This has not always been easy, especially in the spring, when Alison usually has a week-long break in early April. So, we never went anywhere, or spent much time together, during that period.
This year, I can't do it. I have to buck tradition, The sudden month delay has caught me exposed.
Now that major parties involved are or will soon be vaccinated, we set in stone our plans to visit family in Michigan. On the way back, we will visit my son and daughter-in-law in metro Atlanta.
Benjamin gets out of school on May 7th. We want him to be able to get a summer job, and once he does that, he is not likely to be able to travel. And this is the week that my sister has been able to set for us to come to Michigan.
Do I feel a little guilty about leaving the week of the deadline? Yes.
Is it going to make me cancel my plans, and have to potentially wait another year to go to Michigan? No. It's been far too long since we've been up. The grand-niece we saw at almost one year old is now in school. And there are three more (grand niece and grand nephews) we've not even seen.
Sorry, IRS. Please forgive me, Higginson and Paulk.
I know the deadline changed, but I'm going to need to make this trip.
Saturday, March 20, 2021
The Miracle at the 33rd Parellel : Saturday Political Soap Box 271
It's a miracle!
A true BLUE spectacle!
A miracle come true!*
A miracle based on the hard work of Stacey Abrams and associated groups that worked their tail off for multiple years to make it happen. A miracle that Republican officials stuck to the truth and would not be bullied by the great orange narcissist.
And look at what was achieved!
Trump is in Mar-A-Lago, rummaging the buffet lines. Mitch McConnell has been reduced to a noisy impotent hen.
And for the first time in YEARS, a major piece of legislation has passed that has its benefits directed to the working people of the United States, with nothing special going to major corporations and the very wealthy.
I about wept with joy hearing Senator Raphael Warnock's first Senate speech, eloquently defending voter's rights. That's MY Senator! From MY state! Best political moment ever since I moved to this state in 1978.
Tuesday, March 16, 2021
Second Shot Soliloquy
I should have known better.
The only two times I've had flu-like symptoms were a few days after I took a flu shot. And I've only had two flu shots, so that made me two for two.
So, I should have known I wouldn't be one of the lucky ones to have no reaction.
I had my second Moderna shot Monday. It wasn't too bad, some minor chills, some dizziness, a little tiredness, a tiny bit of nausea. Being semi-retired and checking that there wasn't anything urgent in the office, I decided not to go in after my shot. I knew I would be fine by morning.
Well, it's Tuesday morning now, and quest what? I have more serious chills, some congestion, and a fever. Last check, my fever was 100.9, not too high by some people's standards, but high for me considering my usual morning temp is around 97.
I feel bad that I may have to beg off work again. I fear I might give fuel to the anti-vaxxers. Even semi-retired, it's around the time of year that others are quite intense about coming in.
Make no mistake. I do not expect this to last very long. If it subsides, perhaps I can come in today. I also have church treasury work I have to do.
I shouldn't have been surprised. But historically from me? It kinda makes sense.
Anyways, I'll see if it drops in the next hour. Maybe I'll even post an update.
Everyone needs to get vaccinated. It's the only way out of this nightmare.
Stay safe,
T. M. Strait
UPDATE 3/17
There is a woods. Right now, I am in a better part of the woods. But I am not out of the woods.
My feet dropped some, so I charged ahead to work, first my church treasury job, and then my CPA job. I endured as long as I could and then went home. My fever rose to 101.7.
The good news is that I took a couple of Tylenol (acetaminophen), and my fever dropped! I cannot recall when Tylenol worked for me, so it was a bit of a surprise.
This morning I have a much lower fever. My mind is cloudy, like I took some PM medicine or melatonin. I alternate between hot or cold.
But the journey through the woods is getting better, and I can see myself out of them very soon.
UPDATE 3/20
Sorry I haven't updated in a while. Tax season has been kicking my posterior maximus.
But...I feel great! Really, higher energy than normal! Earlier, I barely had the energy nor mental concentration to do CPA work. Since Thursday, I've had too much energy and mental sharpness to WANT to do CPA work.
I guess no matter what the circumstances, I'm not really wanting to do CPA work. Surprise!
But I feel wonderful being on the other side of the vaccine divide.
Saturday, March 13, 2021
He Never Woke Up: Saturday Political Soap Box 270
He never woke up.
Not once. Not one second.
Five years ago, when Trump descended the escalator with a torrent of hate directed towards immigrants, I thought, since he had earlier been disgusted by Sarah Palin, and although a devout Christian Conservative, he had left the 2008 Presidential line blank, that meant he wouldn't tolerate Trump.
Well, if he had those qualms, surely he would understand how terrible Trump was. Trump is basically Palin dialed up to eleven.
It got to the point where we could no longer talk about politics. I got too upset - he got too defensive.
So I backed off. I gave him space. He was a bright, intelligent man, caring and loving towards his family. Surely, at some point, he would wake up.
No, I didn't think he'd stop being Christian Right. But I did think, naively, that the accumulated horror of the narcissistic in chief would eventually wake him up. Not that he would become progressive, or hell, even a Democratic or even Republican centrist, but just understand what a monster Trump was.
I waited patiently for some sign that he understood, that he had made a mistake, and realized how damaging Trump was.
He didn't. Not with children in cages. Not with ignoring and accelerating climate change. Not with Trump praising dictators and dissing democratic leaders. Not with so much suffering caused by Trump's inept leadership (or lack thereof) on COVID-19, even as it affected his own family. Not even as Trump incited a violent insurrection on the capital of the United States.
I saw a sign that showed me that he had not changed, a sign you would only have if you voted for him and continued to support him.
He never woke up.
Is it my fault? Because I gave him space and did not try to persuade him? Or would that have just aggravated the rift between us?
I don't know.
Yes, his side lost. Yes, President Biden and the team are doing amazing things, more than I expected given Biden's moderate Democratic Party roots.
But I'm sure he knows none of this. He probably knows about Mr. Potato Head, Dr. Seuss, the biting White House dog, and some things I don't know of, like maybe about prayer in school or babies being ripped from the womb and then smothered.
I know I should be happy. After all, progressives made a lot of gains in the election. Georgia voted blue in the Presidential and Senate elections. Our biggest problem is no longer Trump or McConnell - it's Joe Manchin.
But I like him, and I worry about what his lack of change may mean. 74 million people voted for someone who is arguably the worst person in American History.
I'd like to be confident, but I know these bromides -
The Empire Always Strike back.
When a bear is wounded and cornered - that is when he is at his most dangerous.
Republicans still control most state legislators, and they will continue to gerrymander and suppress voters.
I had hoped that he would wake up.
He did not.
God help us all.
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The second part of this is my largest copy (plagiarism?) ever.
Whenever confronted by Trumpers, my heart beats too fast, and I stumble trying to remember all of Trump's malfeasances. This posted list helps me remember his avalanche of crimes, incompetence, and downright nastiness.
I should memorize this. I probably won't, but it's good to have handy.
Please! Help my soul. If you previously voted for Trump but are now awake and regretful, please let me know.
Give me hope for the future.
I owe my Trump-supporting friends an apology.
Thursday, March 11, 2021
Yes, Sir'ee They're Pips!
Oh, he’s Slim Chiply
The guy you see
On the Paramount Potato Chips
Bright red sack
He’s the flavor deputy
Protecting crispness in every pack
They’re nutritious
And so delicious
Yes, sir’ee they’re pips!
Paramount Potato Chips
Ever get old commercials stuck in your head?
This is the one that's stuck in mine. Almost all the time.
I've tried to share it with Alison and the boys, more times than they care for me to do. But..whoops...there it is.
They were made in Flint, Michigan, just 30 minutes or so from where I lived. According to the interwebs, they ceased production very badly.
Alison collects old tins, so if anyone has a line on one, let me know.
Man, too much research. Eleventy minutes already gone!
Stay safe!
Stay chippy!
T. M. Strait
Tuesday, March 9, 2021
Tuesday Twitter Questions 2! Maybe 3. I'll Have to check.
Time for another thematically unsound Tuesday Twitter Questions!
If you left Twitter completely, do you think anyone would miss you?
I don't think anyone would miss me because no one really knows I'm there in the first place. Over 80% of my posts get no reaction at all, virtually all the rest one, and like a handful with two likes. I have seen people complain that no one is responding to their posts, and they have hundreds of likes and dozens of comments. Not me. I am truly the ghost of Twitter.
Do you use a working title or wait until you've finished your book?
Oh, no. For better or worse, I know my title before I even begin. For most of my books, I've been happy with that. I probably should have called Crowley Stories: Swamp's Edge something else. Swamp's Edge. Stories from the Swamp's Edge. I'm still thinking about it.
What makes a man instantly unattractive?
MAGA hat.
Do any women get offended when they are called dude?
Maybe a few. Most just abide.
Self-published authors, do you include a formal copyrights page?
Page? I have a copyright statement that I copied from other works. Hopefully, it's okay to copy a copyright, and that's not copyrighted.
Do you write when you're depressed or upset?
Sometimes, sure. That's also when I crack out the fake poetry. Or a Trumpocalypse rant. Or rail against covidiots.
What's your favorite Easter candy, and why is it Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs?
Chocolate. Peanut butter. Mixed together. Next question?
What is the one movie everyone has seen except you?
That's a tough question because my answer may hit different generations differently. Top Gun? The Bodyguard? God's Not Dead? Birth of a Nation?
Maybe the most recent answer would be that I have seen none of the Disney animated films' live-action remakes.
Would you eat biscuits and gravy from a gas station?
Sure. Then my car wouldn't be alone in getting gas.
SLAM!!!
Eleventy minutes are up again!
Stay Safe!*
T. M. Strait
*don't you hate it when amateur writers overuse the exclamation mark! I know I do!
Monday, March 8, 2021
Stewing Monday Musings
I've spent a lot of time stewing over ideas concerning so-called cancel culture.
It seems to me that most culture disappears over time regardless.
Do you realize how many silent movies have vanished? Sources I looked at (Wikipedia, Variety, The Atlantic) say over 75% of silent films are just gone, all prints destroyed.
And how many of you have watched ANY silent movie?
I recently watched Rosita, a silent movie starring Mary Pickford. It was pretty good, but a synopsis falls out of my eleventy-minute scope. Maybe in another post. For whatever reason, in this case, Mary Pickford turned against the picture and ordered all prints destroyed.
Recently, a degraded print was found in Russia. The Museum of Moden Art worked to restore it, and I saw it in the last month on TCM, Turner Classic Movies.
And speaking of Dr. Suess, do you how many books from that time period are "out-of-print" and no longer being published? Many, many more than are being published now, I daresay.
--------------------------
Also stewing about cultural appropriation, but I need to think that one out more lest I say it wrong and offend people.
Bottom line...culture is much more fluid and temporary than most people think.
--------------
Also, something about wanting the MLS (Major League Soccer) to leave Sinclair Fox Sports regionals and be shown elsewhere where we may be able to get their games.
------------
Also...
CRAP! My eleventy minutes is way past!
...
Stay safe!
T. M. Strait
Saturday, March 6, 2021
President Joe Manchin! Saturday Political Soap Box 269
All hail the new President of the United States!
Given the fragile 50 seats plus tie-breaker Vice President Harris Senate majority, the Democratic Party is only as strong as its most conservative Democrat.
And the winner of that contest, hands down, is Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia.
Sure, there are other grumblers and mutterers. Senator Kyrsten Sinema can be an extra special treat, defiantly giving a big thumbs down to signify her vote against the $15 minimum wage.
But, in the end, it's all about the Joe. And not the Joe we elected as President of the United States.
But, Tom, you say Joe Manchin may be a Democrat, but he comes from a very red state, voting both times overwhelmingly for Captain Bone Spurs. Of course he behaves like a DINO. He needs to represent the interests of his state.
Really? You think that's what's going on? I daresay that if the $15 minimum wage was put on the ballot in West Virginia, it would pass with flying colors, as ballot measures increasing the minimum wage have been approved in red and blue states alike. And the COVID-19 relief bill as a whole is extremely popular among all voting groups, including Republicans.
If this was about gun control or climate change efforts that moved us further away from coal, I would still disagree with Manchin, but at least it would make some sense based on his constituency. This, however, makes no sense.
I can't fully explain everything Manchin does. I don't know if he's a deficit hawk about everything or just when it comes to things that help the average working person. I don't know why he seems to have a double standard for cabinet nominees, having voted for many of the nastier Trump nominees, and now becomes squeamish on strong Biden nominees, particularly, I'm afraid to say when it comes to women. I don't know enough about him to know if he just likes being the center of attention.
I have read that Chuch Schumer may not be tough enough on Joe Manchin, that perhaps Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota could corral him better. I don't know. I'm not sure it would help. It's just the way things are drawn right now.
Even if we didn't have the filibuster, we might not get the legislation we need if President Manchin "vetos" it. Interesting, but we may never know. Why? Because the filibuster can't be eliminated without President Manchin's support.
From recent news reports:
"Asked by the Hill’s Jordain Carney whether there is any scenario in which he might “change his mind” about the filibuster, Manchin replied, “Never! Jesus Christ! What don’t you understand about never?”"
President Joe Manchin.
This is why it's going to be so tough for us to have nice things.
Friday, March 5, 2021
The Best Part #3
3
None of the three wore masks.
Jackson Strickland had a no-mask enforcement policy. He even had a sign
on his door that said, “We reserve the right not to follow the City’s mandated inforcement
of required mask-wearing.” No. You saw that right. Jackson had misspelled enforcement.
Aldie did not want to buck the person
that signed his check, but he also didn’t want to be a covidiot. He had one on his desk that he could slip on
if he had to interview a client or if anyone in the office got too close. There could be big trouble if he were narced
on, but he didn’t think neither Marie nor Annabelle seemed inclined.
In November, Marie had gone through
COVID, a mild case where she stayed out of the office for about three days. Now
Marie felt like she was completely immune. If Annabelle had been infected,
Aldie did not know of it. She had
expressed no opinion about it in the short time he had known her.
The three men who had come in from
Pearce Lumber were dealt with quickly.
One of the three was new, and Marie gave him a brief interview. He appeared to be Hispanic, which led Marie
to question his citizenship silently, but he could produce a social security
card and driver’s license. That was good
enough for us to take a substantial amount of his tax refund.
Once the pertinent information was
gathered, Aldie entered Freedom’s second rate tax program and prepared their
returns. One of the three qualified for
Earned Income Credit, so that took a little while longer to input. As the IRS
shrunk, so did their auditing power, but they continued to be the hardest on
those taking earned income credit even in their shrunken state. Attacking those
least able to afford a lawyer and defend themselves made the poor easy prey.
But that was true for Freedom as well, taking so much of their refund. So much of the American economy nowadays
seemed to be based on the exploitation of the poor. Aldie did his best not to think about it.
Marie arranged their “tax loan”
checks. It was always for about two-thirds
of what their return was estimated to be. They had to pay it back in a month,
and the interest rate would make a car dealer blush or Jesus to start overturning
tables. They signed the efile papers and
directed the return to come directly to Freedom. In about a month, they would come back in to
repay the loan, which included the loan value, all the interest, and a $50 fee
for “loan processing.” Technically they
were not charged for the preparation of the tax return. Wallah. Magic.
The next hour was dead quiet. Aldie sat quietly, looking at other returns
in the computer, trying to see what he might be in for and to get used to the
quirks of their crummy tax software.
Around 10:00, a big guy pulled up in
a colossal pick-em-up truck. Aldie didn’t know what kind, except it was mammoth,
four doors, and a truck bed that looked like it could accommodate two horses
and a Toyota Yaris.
He smashed open the front door and
strode in like he was the King of Siam.
He wore blue jeans, and a t-shirt that said MAKE MINE FREEDOM, and a red
baseball cap that made his political affiliation clear to all.
“Hey, Marie! How y’all doing?” the man boomed.
“Doing fair to middlin’, Ronnie,”
Marie said. She had a big, giddy grin
and shivered in delight. “Good to see you
this fine ol’ January morning. How are
you doing?”
“Oh, I’m pretty damn excited this
morning! We’re gonna stop the steal
today and put things right – you just wait and see!”
They were both laughing joyously, and
then Ronnie stopped cold when he looked over and saw Aldie. “Who are you? I ain’t seen you in these parts before.”
Aldie got up but stayed by his
desk. “I’m Aldie Martin. It’s nice to meet you. This is only my third
day here.”
Ronnie scrunched his face up, taking
a few seconds to think, trying to connect the dots to another memory. And then it clicked. “I know you! You’re that little dude from that other
office. I think I saw you there. I mostly dealt with the big dogs. Bobby did all my work.”
Aldie wasn’t sure he’d seen Ronnie
before, but he thought he might know who he was. A few years ago, Bobby had given him a return
to do from a Ronald Hilton, and the client cover sheet referred to him as
Ronnie. His return was complicated and messed up. He had to point several things out to Bobby that
Aldie didn’t think passed muster. Bobby agreed with him on a couple of them,
and that put Ronald Hilton into a bracket where he needed to pay more rather
than get a refund.
“Yeah, I left them years ago when my
buddy Jackson opened up this place. No
offense, Albany, but they weren’t just taking care of me right. Not helping me take advantage of all the
things they shoulda have done. Now, I ain’t hardly paid jack squat since coming
to Freedom. You see? Just like my t-shirt says,” Ronnie said, gesturing
to his t-shirt slogan. “Anyhoo, since you’re here instead of there, they musta
done you wrong too. Am I right?”
Aldie didn’t know how to answer
that. “It…was time for a change.”
“Ok, pal,” said Ronnie. He extended his hand for Aldie to shake. This was the last thing in the world that
Aldie wanted to do, but he felt cornered.
He shook his hand, Ronnie doing so with a paralyzing grip. Oh, well, thought
Aldie. I’ll use plenty of hand sanitizer as soon as he’s not looking.
This was certainly not the typical
Freedom client, or so he had been led to believe. Well, at least he seemed to
be personally handled by Jackson, so maybe he wouldn’t have to be involved with
his return.
The door to Jackon’s office burst
open. “Well, hell’s bells! It’s good to see you, Ronniekins!” Glum
Annabelle had flipped a switch and had turned into an effusive charmer.
They hugged for a long time. Ronnie’s left hand rested just above her butt. “I know it’s early, but I wanted to get an pre-limbered-ary
analysis of where I was at, Can’t start
too early looking for them loopy holes, can ya?”
She took him by the hand and led him
into the back office, closing the door.
Aldie quickly used the hand
sanitizer. Well, glad I’m not behind
that door for whatever the heck it is those two are doing.
Then the door creaked open, and
Annabelle’s head popped out. “Aldie, get
in here. We’re going to need you to help lay this out.”
Great. Three days in and already headed for the lion’s
den.
Tuesday, March 2, 2021
Tuesday Twitter Questions!
It's just a picture. Need one to attract a few more viewers.
On to my eleventy minutes.
It's random Twitter Questions rime!
What's the meaning of life in 3 words or less?
Seize the day.
Can you live on $7.25 an hour?
As long as I can live with somebody else and they pay all the bills.
What's your age? Funny answers only.
Last June, I got a card to carry from the government that officially identifies me as an old person.
Have you written any characters that you just despise?
History of the Trap: Mark Granite. Crowley Stories: Pastor Dan. The Extra Credit Club: Professor LaCroix.
5 facebook points if you've read one of those books, 10 if you've read two, and 100 if you've read all three.
What is an act integral to your writing process that is not the act of writing itself?
Coffee. And lots of it.
Glad that the COVID-19 vaccines are here?
Yes! Wish they were being distributed faster, but I think the Biden administration is ramping up as fast as it can. Georgia lags behind, in like the bottom five of vaccine distribution. It feels like we are in a deadly race with the variants.
Any of you research Tarot?
Is that a vegetable? No?
Oh, cards that "predict" the future.
Uh, no.
But let me check the cards. Maybe I'll do it...in the FUTURE!
Man, eleventy minutes is not a lot of time!
Stay safe!
T. M. Strait
Monday, March 1, 2021
March Times In
There I am. Standing at the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland.
To be clear, that wasn't today. That was a picture from three years ago (May 2018).
But time MARCHes, eh?
Last year, we went nowhere - no major trips. You may not have heard of it, but there's this little thing called....COVID.
The year before that, it was Ontario (Niagra Falls, Toronto, Stratford).
When things sufficiently clear up, we hope to go to Michigan. It has been a while since we've been back there.
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The case numbers have been slowly diminishing in my area - but the change is very slow, not dramatic.
I have had one of two vaccination shots (Moderna). Alison has had none. But they may start vaccinating school personnel in a few weeks.
--------------------
I am starting to keep track of health-related numbers, including my food chart, to help control the intake of sugar, carbohydrates, and calories. It worked when I did it before. I just have to make it a habit and stick with it.
I weighed myself this morning, the first time in months. It was much higher than I wanted it to be but not as high as I feared it would be.
----------------
Well, speaking of the March of Time, I already have used up my eleventy minutes. Facing another tax season, I am. No, it's not as involved as it used to be for me, but still...it takes far more of my brain wattage than I care to give.
Stay safe!
T. M. Strait