I Wander on a Wednesday

 The blog title is a lie.

At least in a physical sense. I don't intend to go anywhere today. Except for short walks.

Monday, I went to the local library and read a children's story. Tuesday I did my Treasurer thing at the church. Today, I have no outings scheduled.

Not going out does not equate to not doing nothing. I'm writing this now, for example. I have other exercises as the day goes on, including sciatica exercises and the treadmill.

I was out for a walk before the sun rose. It was only about 45 degrees, but I wore sweatpants and my Michigan sweater. I had my earphones on, listening to a podcast.

I'll read today. I will read some online comic books from my Marvel and DC apps. I'll read one physical comic book (today's is Action Comics #1061, and one short story from the current issue of Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine. I also may read more of The Matlock Paper by Robert Ludlum. He is most known for creating the Bourne character (like The Bourne Identity).

At lunch, I will watch an episode of The Man From U.N.C.L.E.  I've been tracking my food this month, recording it on a spreadsheet. This is to help me stay in balance more than anything else. The major goal is to help control my blood pressure and blood sugar. I have lost a small amount of weight, and my blood pressure has improved this month. I hope to keep it up. I have a long way to go.

Then there's always Fibber McGee's Closet. Currently, there is a large number of trading cards I am trying to organize enough to offer in trade to a comic or card shop. I'm really not concerned with making money off them. I don't want to keep them, but I would rather give them away than throw them away.

Was I disappointed by the Lions loss to the 49ers? Yes, but I'm not angry about it. Was it wise for the Lions to keep going on fourth downs? Probably not, but that is what the coach is known for and what brought them this far. I'm not in any way knowledgeable enough to question a coach's decision. I barely understand most of what's going on on the field.

Anyways, that wasn't what the NFL scripted. They wrote it for the 49ers to play against the Kansas City Chiefs and for the Chiefs to win so that Taylor 'n' Travis can endorse Biden and sweep him to a second term. Or some insanity like that. I find right-wingers ten times more confusing than I even find football.

Tonight, we'll continue with the fourth season of For All Mankind, the brilliant alternate history show that my son, Greg, helped edit. We're at about 2003, where we have a working base on Mars, and the President is Al Gore. Those are two things I devotedly wished for that didn't happen.

I know that nothing I'm doing today sounds that useful or interesting. But it's retirement, and I love it.  

Soon, I may need to do something to earn a bit of money. But that's not today.

Maybe tomorrow. We'll see.

Wanderingly yours.

T. M. Strait

P.S.  Grammarly was not functioning this morning. That happens sometimes. Would love to see what it said about my sentence with the triple negative!

P.P.S Grammarly worked this afternoon.  Only had to make a couple dozen changes.  I did overrule it on the triple negative.  Sometimes ya just gotta break the rules.

Payoff for the Long and Faithful Slog!

 To say it has been a long time coming is the sports understatement of the century. Well, two centuries, actually - the 21st and the 20th!

No fan has proven their loyalty more than a Lions fan. To stick with them is an enduring prayer of hope.

The last time that they won the National Football Championship was 1957. I was two years old.

They have never won a Super Bowl. Well. They've never ever been IN a Super Bowl to win it or lose it.

In the Super Bowl era, they have been in the playoffs 12 times, losing in the first round 11 times, winning the first round once, then playing in and losing in the conference championship. They beat the Dallas Cowboys 38-6 and then lost to Washington 41-10.

One of my strongest memories was the first time I saw them in the playoffs, 1970 when they lost to the Dallas Cowboys 5-0. Yes, that is a correct score.

In 1971, I was watching the game where a player, Chuck Hughes, died on the field. It took us a while to understand what we were looking at. At first, we just wanted the game to go on. It was later that it hit us how serious this was.

Although this remains the only on-field death in pro football, it is a violent and brutal sport. As medical analysis of players advances, we have only begun to catalog the extensive damage it does to a person.

As time has passed, my interest in American football has waned, and my love of soccer has grown. Soccer is not injury-free, but it does not seem as cataclysmic as American football.

Nevertheless, there are still terms I follow and cheer. I was elated this year when my alma mater, the University of Michigan, won the National Collegiate Championship. The last time they had won a SOLO championship was 1948 (they were co-champions in 1997, but I don't want to write about that ridiculousness). I like the Georgia Bulldogs.

In pro football, I only care about the Detroit Lions. Alison and I used to like the Atlanta Falcons, but that faded. I actively despise the Dallas Cowboys.

Most years, I am done with football by mid to late December. This has been an unusual year. I stayed interested in college through the National Championship. And, even more unbelievably, I still care about the pro football playoffs.

It's so exciting!

Go Lions!

The Legacy of Monday Musings

A brief return to a legacy feature of The Strait Line - Monday Musings. 

I usually have one show that I watch before I go to bed. Currently, that is Monarch: Legacy of Monsters. I have seen some Godzilla and Associates movies over the years, but I would not describe myself as a huge fan, nor would I say I thoroughly dislike them.

This one has its pluses and minuses. The biggest plus is that it has one of my favorite actors, Kurt Russell, and his son, Wayne Russell. Wayne plays the same part as his Dad at an earlier point in history. He does not have quite the skills and charms as his father, but he doesn't miss by much. The biggest minus is that there is a lot of focus on a trio of young adults whose storylines are not that interesting - suggestive of a CW show or a less-funny Scooby gang.

The monsters in it are huge, but somehow they don't seem too threatening.

------------------------

Generally, by this time of year, I am completely done with American football. But Michigan went all the way to the National Collegiate Championship (and WINNING it!), and even more incredibly, the Detroit Lions are in the NFL playoffs, and they WON their first game (first playoff win since 1992).

Could the Lions win the Super Bowl? Oh, my Lord, I can't believe I just wrote those words. Take it a game at a time, Son. A game at a time.

----------------------------

The low-turn-out Iowa Caucus was held last night. There was terrible weather, and that helped diminish attendance. Only the most dedicated and crazed showed up. And guess who benefits from that? The Orange Insurrectionist got a bare majority, 51%, earning about 56,000 votes from fellow fascists; that represents roughly 1.75% of Iowa's population.

None of this gives me any comfort whatsoever. The fact that anyone is so far removed from American Democracy that they would consider voting for this misogynist racist chills me to the bone and keeps me up at night.

-----------------------

I made good progress on my lifestyle changes last week. My weight edged down, and my blood pressure improved. Then the weekend came. Oh, well. I'll get the hang of this yet.

---------------------

Please keep checking out your public libraries. Besides wonderful books, many are always doing special programs and events that are fun to participate in.  And the price? FREE!

Musingly Yours,

T. M. Strait

Hail to the Victors Valiant!

 

Go Blue!

A national championship!

How long have I waited to say those magic words!

Well, there was 1997 with that weird co-championship with Nebraska. That was rare, and the asterisk interfered with the glory.

No, you must go back to 1948 to find the last time the Wolverines were the sole National Champions.

Growing up, the most legendary game was when the Bo Schembechler Wolverines beat the Woody Hayes led Ohio State Buckeyes. I remember seeing a Sports Illustrated story before that game that declared Ohio State might be the best college football team of the century. And then the Wolverines beat them 24-12. Other than the '68 Tigers, it was the bestest sports memory of my youth.

Michigan was not just a school I liked; it was my alma mater. Yes, I attended the University of Michigan from September 1973 to April 1977. I've been at the Big House (Michigan's 100,000-plus capacity stadium), enjoying many blowout games, and the fans were almost as entertaining as the game. It's where I remember the smell of Boone's Farm. 

Every year, the big game would be the final game of the regular season against Ohio State. Ohio State won three out of the four years I was there, including one heartbreaker on a last-second missed field goal. The joke among my college buddies is that we all needed to try out to be the next field goal kicker because surely we could do better than that guy. In reality, most of us would even whiff at making contact with the football.

I had college classes with a few of the college players. One of the lowlights of my college experience was when I and another intellectual student went up against two college football players in debate class. We lost, and we lost badly. Their arguments were slightly off-center, and I don't always think well on my feet. I did try to take some lessons from it, and later, I coached a high school debate team that finished 3rd in the state, the best performance in the school's history.  

Living in the South since 1978, I experienced a lot of dismissive talk about the Big Ten, including Michigan. Here, the SEC was the dominant conference, the only one that mattered. I'm not entirely anti all the SEC schools. I love Georgia, which is also the alma mater of my middle son, Doug. But the drumbeat about how the Big Ten was an inferior conference just wore at me.

I worked for over two decades at a CPA firm, where my closest co-worker was an Alabama fan. The overt smug superiority of Alabama was depressing. I longed for the day Michigan would play Alabama and show my co-worker they could beat Bama. Well, it took forever, but it finally happened! The first person to text me congratulations was that co-worker. I don't think he could hardly believe it, but he had to acknowledge that it did happen.

The opponent that Michigan beat in the championship, Washington Huskies, will join the Big Ten next season. It's almost like two Big Ten teams played for the National Championship!

Next year, many of the Michigan players will graduate and/or go to the pros. Heck, there's a good chance Jim Harbaugh will return to the pros. The playoffs expand to 12 teams next year, so you'll have to win even more games to get to the top. For instance, an expanded playoff this last season would have included Georgia. Honestly, I don't know how Michigan would have fared against Georgia.

I would love for Michigan to repeat. But whatever happens, they can't take this year away from us!

GO BLUE!!!

Peeking Out With Supergirl

 

Been gone for a while.

But...good news! Both Alison and I recovered from COVID and are doing well. Alison's case was milder than mine. Mine was a little more intense...had a day where I was foggy and mostly slept, with a slight fever, and another day where I was worried because my cough deepened. But...thanks to vaccines, proper care, prayer (thank you, Grace Episcopal!), and in my case Paxlovid, we're doing well. Alison and I have some residual cough and congestion, but it is getting lighter daily.

I am grateful that Benjamin did not test positive. He is back at school for his last semester.

I am most grateful that Alison's Mom, Rose, did not get it. She exhibited no symptoms at all. We were worried because she was with us at the Christmas Eve service, which appeared to be Event Central for the COVID spread.

Even our cat pictured above, in my favorite reading chair, along with my Supergirl throw pillow, was ill for a couple of days, not eating and throwing up a little, not wanting to move much. But she is completely back to normal now! She'll be 16 in May and is rarely ill. So we were pleased when she started perking back up.

SPORTS!

I was disappointed that Michigan narrowly lost to TCU but ecstatic at the whooping Georgia put on them. Local Blackshear lad, Quarterback Stetson Bennett IV, was brilliant. Will he make it as a professional quarterback? Who knows? Who knows if he even wants to? But they can't take this from him - one of only a handful of NCAA quarterbacks to lead his team to back-to-back championships!

Each game has to be taken individually. Is the SEC the only conference that counts? I hope not. OSU came within a missed field goal of beating Georgia. And who won a decisive victory against OSU in the regular season? That's right - MICHIGAN!!!

POLITICS!

Good lord. What a shameful disgrace the Republican-controlled House of Representatives is. To win the Speakership, McCarthy had to sell his soul to his party's darkest and most extreme elements.

Most of this will make a disgusting show as the Republican House passes one stupid and destructive bill after another. Then, they will have nonsensical REVENGE committees that will be a lava flow of misinformation and bull hockey.

All of this just makes for extra stupid theater. The one place they are dangerous is forcing government shutdowns over funding and the debt ceiling, with the goal being to slash money from social security and medicare. You would think that would upset some people, but in today's divided media environment, who knows?

TV and Movies!

I just finished the series 1899, the new series from the creators of the excellent German series Dark. It was one of the best things I've seen in YEARS. If you want to know what it's like, read some of the stories that I've written. The imagination in this show is just churning out in buckets!

And, of course, Netflix has already canceled this, so it's a one-and-done. Nevertheless, it's still worth seeing. This series gets one season, and Manifest receives at least four???

We did not get out to see movies during our Christmas COVID break. We managed to see Black Adam, which was a'right, but nothing stood out to me. The new Discovery owners of HBO Max are like Netflix times ten in their horrible swath of canceling projects - Batgirl, Wonder Woman 3, the new Superman movie - all canceled by these worthless clowns. Their new owner is a Trump-endorsing billionaire. Spoiler alert- as part of this atrocity, he controls CNN and DC Comics. Clinton News Network, my ass!

Finally!

As a final note for today's post, I will NOT post these to my Facebook page this month. I want to see how low I can go.

Until next time, 

T. M. Strait

Absentee Ballot

 

As you can see, Ellie is riveted by the soccer game between USA and Iran.  

Alison and I have become devoted soccer fans (or what is known everywhere else in the world as 'football'). We love Atlanta United in the MLS and the Portland Thorns in the NWSL. We are thrilled to have a competitive USA team in the World Cup/

But that's not my only reason for following the sport. It's a way for me to communicate with my far-flung older boys (Greg in Pasadena, California, and Doug in the Catskills of New York State). It gives this aging introvert a chance to text each other while we watch the games. I get to know more about their lives and just share everyday bonding. Do I love soccer? Yes. Do I love even more being able to share time with my boys? Absolutely!

Here's a picture of the celebration as America goes up 1 to 0 (the final score). Christian Pulisic dramatically gave up his own body to score the goal, colliding with the goalie, injuring himself, and was out the second half.  

-----------------------------

Oh yes. I forgot. The title of this post is Absentee Ballot.

We have a crucial election coming up. Georgia has a runoff and must decide between the professional and highly competent current Senator, Reverand Raphael Warnock, and Texas resident/Trump sycophant Herschel Walker. Seems like a no-brainer, but given the MAGA impulses that overrule common sense among many in this state. and the blind partisanship that leads people to vote for people THEY KNOW THEY SHOULD NOT, this election is much closer than it has any right to be.

Georgia Republicans, in a fit of voter suppression frenzy, have changed the runoff from nine weeks to four. They originally had scheduled only five days of early voting, with no Saturday voting (a big ef you to working voters). My son, Benjamin, is away at school and will not be here for the initially scheduled voting days.  

He started filling out an absentee ballot request form online a couple of weeks ago but hit bureaucratic snafus when it required steps that he could not readily complete. By the time he came to visit us for Thanksgiving, he had completed the form but had yet to mail it.

MEANWHILE...Georgia courts ruled that Saturday voting could not be barred. I read that some Georgia counties were now offering Saturday voting.  

We went to our county election board and discovered that our county was NOT offering Saturday voting. Okay, fine. Benjamin turned in his absentee ballot request. They looked at it, said it was fine, and that they would mail him an absentee ballot to his college address that day. I thought they could just give it to him, but that is not allowed. It has to be mailed. Fine.

I'm not trying to say anything negative about the election board. They have been friendly, polite, and helpful. They understandably have to follow the rules. They were also frustrated that the legislature had created such a tight turnaround time.

I checked with Benjamin this morning. He had yet to receive the absentee ballot. Look, Benjamin is very busy right now. He is trying to prepare for some very stressful finals and end-of-the-semester projects. He is trying to do the best he can.

At this point, if he gets the ballot, he'll have to overnight it to be sure it gets back in time. Do I hate the idea that he has to, in essence, pay to have his vote counted? I'm not thrilled, but the vote counting means more to us at this point.

Benjamin is not alone in this. Post-election analysis shows that GEN Z (Benjamin's generation) had an outsized effect on the election. Young people made a difference.  

So, this runoff will be hard for many college students to turn around in time.

But that's not a bug of the Republican election changes. It's a feature. They want to minimize the youth vote, and this is a wicked clever way to accomplish that.

I wish Georgia would go to an instant runoff system like they have in Alaska and Maine. Then we wouldn't have to go through this mess.

But Georgia probably won't do that. It makes too much sense.

Until next time,

T. M. Strait

Proud Warnock Voter

Podlicious Monday Musings

 

That is the top of a pod cup. I use it to make an individual cup of coffee in the afternoons.

I don't know about you, but I find the picture a little scary and disturbing. At first, I thought it was a clown, but on closer inspection, I think it's a picture of a woman holding a coffee cup up in front of her. It's either a smile or getting ready to gulp or something. I feel like coffee's a little too hot to gulp like that, but what do I know? 

Our area is a little unsettled today. Hurricane Ian's current projected path would take it over us on Friday and Saturday. These paths weeble and wobble as they get closer, so it's a guess at this point.

But some scheduled events are not taking a chance. They are already canceling and moving to other dates. Is this panic or prudence? I don't know. Better safe than sorry.

So far, Harvey is holding steady to open this weekend. That means Hell Week is still a go. Dress rehearsals tonight, Tuesday, and Wednesday, and then performances Thursday-Friday-Saturday night, topped with a matinee Sunday afternoon. I'm gonna be one tired old man! I'm unsure how I would do it all if I was still working. I used to do it all the time, but now I look back with amazement that I could pull it off.

I'll guess I'll know how serious it is if they start to cancel high school football games. Those events are pretty sacred.

MEANWHILE...

The Michigan Wolverines had their first close game, beating Maryland 34-27. So either Michigan is not as good as I hoped, or Maryland is a lot better than people think. Either way, this season does not look like the runaway I was hoping for.

I thought the Detroit Lions might be turning around, but they lost another heartbreaker, with Minnesota coming from behind to beat them. They're good enough to compete but not good enough (or lucky enough) to win.

My expectations for the Detroit Tigers have constantly adjusted through the season. Going from ...this year they'll make the playoffs...to...this year they'll finish over .500...to...this year they won't finish last...to..this year they won't lose 100 games! Still crossing my fingers on that last one!

ALSO...

How can I like politics so much but hate ads so much? I mean all of them, even many from my side. Anyone who votes based on ads needs to retake Civics.  

I don't enjoy politics as much as I used to. People voting for Trump makes no sense to me. It never has. I can't wrap my head around it. He's a grifter/con man, a narcissist who's not very bright, and a racist. Republican vs. Democrats, conservative vs. liberal - these are battles I understand. But authoritarian vs. democracy? It's too scary to be fun anymore.

Anyhoo, my desk setup is still not ergonomically sound, and I don't want to wreck my knees and feet for the upcoming play. I'm old in Harvey, but I'm not decrepit,

Until next time,

T. M. Strait

A Season of Renewal

 

Spring has sprung.

It is a season of renewal and hope.

The time of Lent has ended, and we are now in the season of Easter.

There are many worries and concerns.  The Russian invasion of Ukraine is costing many lives and is destabilizing the planet - militarily, politically, and economically.  Putin roars and threatens the world with nuclear annihilation. Inflation is as bad as its been since the early years of Reagan. The authoritarian bug that has bit this country is still wreaking havoc.  COVID-19 still exists.

And yet...

The rallying behind the Ukrainian people has been impressive. Most people understand that inflation is caused by COVID supply chain issues and our commitment to boycott Russia, including their oil.  The history of the 2022 election has not been written yet, and there is always hope that the American people will do the right thing.  And although COVID has not vanished, we have many more tools to tame its effects.

And me?

Alison and I were re-confirmed at church.  Alison went through Inquirer's class to support a friend, and I joined her.  It was inspiring to hear the roots of our faith again and revitalize our commitment to it.

All three of my sons continue to be impressive in their work and personal lives.  

And I am now a GRANDFATHER!  Doug & Paige have a beautiful baby daughter, and we look forward to seeing her in July.

With their seasons just starting out, I can even delude myself into thinking my sports teams - Atlanta United, Detroit Tigers, Michigan Wolverines - will have record-setting seasons. But, please!  Let me dream until reality crushes it!

Retirement is a joy.  It means the world to me to be able to go through an entire tax season without thinking about taxes!  I even took my personal taxes for them to do  -  Daddy don't do taxes no more!

I hope to write more, sell my comic collection, read to people (young and old), maybe someday do a play again, and pursue all the hobbies and interests that I have time to do.

I look forward to time at home with Alison, participating more in our daily chores and reading together, binge-watching TV good and bad, going to church and visiting children and grandchildren.  

I hear the birds a-chripin'! I see the sky a-clearin'!  I feel the gnats a-swarmin!!

Ok, we'll forget that last one.

Happy Easter, everyone!

Rising Wednesday Wanderings

 I know.

I'm a lazy git.

But I do like walking. Especially my early morning constitutionals.

It stays darker later. Thanks to the shift to Daylight Savings Time. That's ok. Very soon, the only time to walk will be the morning, as we will proceed to the nine-month HOTTER THAN HELL period in Southeast Georgia.

Creating a successful balance between exercise and diet has been a lifelong battle. Periods of losing weight are rare. Periods of gaining weight are less rare. But, most of the time, I hold my own.

-------------------------------

Zelenskyy will be speaking to our congress in just a few moments. I hope somebody is chaperoning Lauren Boebert and Majorie Taylor Greene -those two skipped Courtesy Day in school.

We should do everything we can, but they may not include a no-fly zone. It certainly won't be boots on the ground.  

This is our generation's battle against autocracy. I pray we are up to the challenge.

------------------------

I follow soccer and am a big fan of Atlanta United of the MLS. A year or so ago, I wanted to branch out and watch the Premier League (what Ted Lasso strives for) and asked my son Greg what team I should follow. He recommended Chelsea. They were good to follow as they won more often than not.

However, it has recently come to my attention that Chelsea is owned by a Russian oligarch, one who is close to Putin. Back to the drawing board.

I thought maybe Newcastle, which has a former Atlanta United player on it. Then I found out about they were owned b Saudi Arabians. Not much of an improvement.

Couldn't Jason Sudekis buy a team?

Of course, we wouldn't have to worry about this madness if the people of a city OWNED their teams, like the Green Bay Packers. I'm all in for that.

------------------------------------

I got my taxes back, prepared by my former firm. Yes, that's right. I don't even want to do my own taxes. But, the results look fine, and I'm thrilled to have somebody else do it.

-------

Just watched Zelenskyy speak. It struck me to the core. He recalled Pearl Harbor and 9/11 - attacks from the sky. He is pleading to Close the Sky.

I understand the fears of creating a broader war. But it is so horrible to watch this.

I pray we can safely help end this madness.

Until next time,

T. M. Strait

Phase Five Begins

 

Yes. My comic book project continues. I know. It's been a long time. It's taking a lot of time and concentration. But I'm finally on Phase Five, which is quite far along.  I'm refining what I want my core collection to be, the ones I retain after the mass sale.

The comic above is fairly recent and is the first issue introducing Naomi, whose origins and powers bear some similarity to Superman. A CW show about her started two weeks ago, and it's pretty good. It's produced by the outstanding Director and Creator, Ava DuVernay (she made one of my favorite movies, Selma, and the Oscar-nominated Documentary, 13th). I'm enjoying the program, despite its only 4.0 rating on IMDb.*

I've had to hold this comic book out of my mass sale because its value is hard to figure out.   It's been published since my August 2021 guidebook, and values from other internet sources have been all over the map. I have about a half dozen comics in this position.

-------------------------------

The numbers of COVID cases in the two counties, Ware and Pierce, where I spend my time, have skyrocketed to their highest levels. Even people who have behaved reasonably throughout this have come down with the Omicron variant. My immediate family has escaped it to this point, but there is no guarantee that will continue. Public schools around here have been terribly lax, and a good number of the new cases I know about come from them.

And as the cases rise in our area, the percentage of mask wearers is plummeting. Outside of some retail personnel, it looks to me like only 5 to 10% of people are wearing masks.

----------------------------

It is clear to me that Democrats have given up on doing anything to protect schools. The public polling is all against them, and they don't have the courage to challenge it.

I don't want schools to be shut down,  But to do that, you have t have teachers and as many students as possible vaccinated. In addition, you have to require mask-wearing.

But a significant minority won't allow that. They want schools open. They want little or no precautions taken.

I get it. Schools are not about education. It's about warehousing kids so you can go to work, sort of free daycare.

The hard truth is that many are prioritizing their ability to go to work over the safety of children and the community.

Again, I don't want schools closed. I want precautions taken. But even that seems a step too far for many.

------------------------

I was ecstatic to see Georgia beat Alabama in the National Championship. Their great underdog quarterback, Stetson Bennett III, comes for our town of Blackshear - indeed, his family is in our neighborhood. I don't know them, but Alison has at least a passing acquaintance with the family. They are good people, and his emergence is one of the best sports stories of recent times.

I was disappointed that it was not Michigan beating Alabama for the championship, but that did not take away from their extraordinary season. First, starting unranked and then finishing Number 3 in the nation! Then, beating Ohio State! Finally, winning the Big Ten Championship! Awesome year!

To my former co-worker, a big Bama fan- be patient. You'll most likely be back next year. The Wolverines? I hope not, but it may be another 25 to 30 years in the wilderness. 

--------------------------------

Well, I guess I better get back to my comic project. The sooner I finish, the sooner I can get started on something else!

Occasionally yours,

T. M. Strait

*there is a large contingent of right-wingers, particularly right-wing comic book fans, who swarm Imdb and downgrade any show that dares to be diverse.  They especially hate what they call SJWs (Social Justice Warriors), a concept that  I see as a positive and this group sees as a negative.  To fully address it here would require tripling the word count of this post.  I did address it in other posts and will address it more in the future.

The Strait New Year's Eve Rundown

 Huzzah!

I have been busy with my comic book project, but please - I have not abandoned my blog, and I hope to be back to at least two to three posts a week!

The year was not without its down notes, but it had many positives as well.

The best political news?

The victories of Rafael Warnock and Jon Ossoff in their Georgia runoffs were a real highlight. They enabled the passage of some legislation and helped the selection of new judges and cabinet members not to be logjammed. Senator Warnock is an eloquent and persuasive speaker, and he is working his heart out to help pass much-needed Voter's Rights legislation.

The passage of the physical infrastructure may not seem that romantic right now, but it will help this country move forward into the 21st Century.  

2021 was also the year that we saw the end of the Trump administration. He was the worst President in American history and definitely the least suited for it, intellectually and emotionally. He only cared about himself. Whatever problems Biden has, it does not come from a lack of effort or caring.

The worst political news?

Even though Trump is out of office, his poisoning of American democracy continues. What most depresses me is those I know who still cling to this awful man and believe his lies about the 2020 election. I have never seen such spoiled brat squallering in all my life.

Like the Build Back Better Act, efforts at meaningful and transformative legislation continue to be stymied by two Democratic Senators, Joe Manchin and Krysten Sinema. In addition, we are again dealing with the fact that individual parts of the Bill are VERY popular. Yet, the way our politics are constructed is skewed so that Republicans and lobbyists have outsize influence.

One of the most essential parts of Build Back Better is the climate components. Our weather is getting weirder and more dangerous, but that has not convinced enough people to make it our top priority.

The best TV program?

Ted Lasso, hands down. Seriously, hands down,  You don't use them in soccer.

Right now, Yellowjackets from Showtime has been a really wild ride, centered on a young women's soccer team whose plane crashes in Northern Ontario. It shifts between them trying to survive the 90s crash and on a few survivors in the present day. In some ways, it reminds me of my novel, History of the Trap.*

Ghosts from CBS is one of the funniest broadcast network shows I've seen in a while. It's based on a BBC show, and we hope to see that soon.

The worst TV program?

Anything on Fox News.

The best movie?

Look, I'm a superhero fan. So chill your artsy-fartsy heart. The best movie I've seen this year is Spider-Man: Far From Home. It's one of the best superhero movies I've ever seen.

But I've only seen about three movies from the theatre this year.

We've seen a number from our streaming services. The best include Judas and the Black Messiah, A Quiet Place 2, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. 

The worst movie?

The Woman in the Window, based on a novel by A.J. Finn. It is customary to be disappointed by a movie based on a book, but this was extra-special in missing the feel of the book by a country mile.

The best sports moment of the year?

MICHIGAN BEAT OHIO STATE!!!

MICHIGAN BEAT OHIO STATE!!!

MICHIGAN BEAT OHIO STATE!!!

Did I say of the year? How about of the CENTURY!!!

Well, at least until next year.

The worst sports moment?

Aaron Rodgers lying about being vaccinated.

For me, the year has been pretty darn good. I retired from accounting, and I think 2022 will be the year I become a grandfather. Benjamin is doing well in school and is a delicate, sensitive, and caring young man. Alison doesn't mind me being home more and is taking up crocheting.

COVID-19 continues to be a challenge, but my family is vaccinated and boosted. Omicron will be almost universal, but at least we are prepared for it. It hurts to see so many around here not take special care to protect themself and others.

I will celebrate New Year's Eve with family, serving homemade pizzas.  

And yes, this year there will be a football game. What can I say? If Georgia was playing anybody else...

But they're not.

So...

GO BLUE!!!

FREEZE FRAME!

 

Dear Dean Crane and other Bama fans, and to any stray OSU fans who may stumble across this - 

KNOW YE THIS!

Whether this be one brief shining moment in the sun or the beginning of the return to dynasty - 

For the first time in a very, very long time -

Michigan ranks ahead of Alabama!!!

Michigan ranks ahead of Ohio State!!!

Listen, I know this doesn't guarantee a spot in the college playoffs for Michigan. However, unlike SEC teams, Big 10 teams have to be pretty spotless to gain entry; in fact, since the inception of the playoff system, the number of Big Ten teams that have qualified are...TWO.  One of the two has gone repeatedly.* And sadly, we all know who that one team is.  

But this year, that ONE team will not be in it, thanks to Michigan's performance in THE GAME OF THE CENTURY!

Michigan has to beat Iowa in the Big Ten Championship.  No easy task.

Even there, winning keeps them in the mix, but it doesn't guarantee them a spot. Cincinnati and Notre Dame are pushing hard for a spot, and Alabama cannot be discounted.

Indeed, if the Tide beats Georgia, they're probably in.  If they lose but keep it close, the squealing arguments will be that an 11-2 SEC team is more worthy than any 12-1 Big Ten team.

I have indicated in the past that only conference champions should be in the college playoffs.  That means that if Iowa beats Michigan, Iowa should be the one considered for the playoffs. But...with only four teams qualifying, that always leaves some major conferences out.  Except for the SEC.  There will always be an SEC team in the playoffs, regardless of record.  Some years there are two SEC teams.

That is all in the future,  But for right now - 

Pop the corks and celebrate!  The Wolverines have tamed the Buckeyes!  Nothing in sports is sweeter than that!

GO BLUE!!!

* the second year of the playoffs, the Michigan State Spartans made an appearance, losing the first round to Alabama 38-0.  Is MSU a rival? Yes?  Do I detest the Spartys and cheer against them when they don't play Michigan?  No, I do not.  Go, Spartys, Go! - except when playing the Wolverines.

Post-Retirement Wednesday Wanderings

 

My office at work was decorated on my last day in accounting, Thursday of last week. I want to thank Chris for my making my send-off special, and also Nicole and Dean.  

It's now Wednesday.  Do I feel retired after almost a week since my accounting career ended?  Truthfully, not yet.  I've had a lot of chores and saved up stuff.  I think tomorrow, when I have no obligations to run errands or leave the house, might be when it sinks in a bit.  We shall see!

---------------------------

One of the things I was considering was how much emphasis I should place on this blog.  How fruitful is it?  I make no money off of it, and I'm not likely to.  Views have been in decline.  Most months, it's between 1000 and 1500 views (at its height, it ran closer to 4000).  

Even though I only posted seven new posts in October, traffic was up to 2100!  That was a positive.

In November, as of today, only three days in, I have over 5500 views!  I'm not sure what's going on.  Maybe it's a sign that I'm supposed to keep going with The Strait Line. Or perhaps I've been hacked.  Time will tell.

-----------------------

At this point, the only routine out of the house I have is to do the church treasury work on Tuesday afternoon and then to follow up with either helping my church with its Sacks for Saturday program or reading stories for Children's Storytime at the public library.

----------------------

I put up a poll on my group Polls R Us, asking what I should do now that I'm retired.  The number one response was...Write! Write! Write!  Well, who am I to argue with that!  I'll at least keep up with my blog.  I might re-engage with fiction writing.

Other leading responses were to travel (some budget constraints there), start a podcast (that would take some learning), and become an audio reader.   I would love to do those last two, but I will probably need some guidance.

------------------

What a stunner.  Virginia voted like it always does - the opposite of whatever party holds the White House.  It's tiring, and I wish they wouldn't do that.  But I think the media is reading way too much into the results.

It's true that even though Trump is out of office, we are still in a very dark place politically.  Biden's lack of 2020 political coattails is making things very, very difficult.  And 2022 promises to be a disaster.

All I and other like-minded progressives can do is stick to our guns on policy and hammer it over and over again. It's frustrating, I know.  And it's hard to think long-term strategy when the climate doomsday clock rapidly approaches midnight.

-------------------------

How 'bout them Braves?

Ok, that's all I got.  I'm glad they won.  I tried to watch the ending of last night's game, but my internet went out.

Maybe next year, the Braves will come back and defeat an AL team instead of a quasi-NL team.

Unless it's the Detroit Tigers...in that case, GO TIGERS!

Wanderingly Yours,

T. M. Strait

The Silence of the Olympics

The Summer Olympics are here!

After a year's delay, the Tokyo Olympics have arrived!

 

Well, sort of.

After waiting to pick the right time, or what seemed like the right time, is actually during a surge featuring the more transmissible Delta Variant.

It's strange.  Almost surreal.  All the events are being played out without spectators.  It has an odd, haunting quality to it.

We've lost a good number of athletes who have either contracted the virus or had to be quarantined.  The part that I find most astonishing is that athletes and staff were not required to have been vaccinated.  That's not good.  It's just begging for a disaster to happen.

Should the games have been held?  Probably not.  But once the commercials winds are soaring, it's hard to bring them back down.  

We may be seeing more of this.  Many, especially in the United States, have mentally put this behind us.  No amount of evidence otherwise will cause them to move to vaccine requirements or lockdowns or even returning to mask-wearing.

So, the Olympics are here, and right or wrong, I choose to watch them.  At least a tiny portion of them (watching all the coverage would take mammoth DVR capacity and several months of dedicated viewing).

Competing, even for the best, is extremely stressful.

I can't imagine how stressful it is to perform in the Olympics, especially for those we've built up to be super-human.  The burdens they carry are tremendous.

Simone Biles is arguably the best gymnast of all time. The things she does defy what we previously thought of as human limitations.  But she is a human being, and like all of us, she has a threshold that may cause her to break or doubt herself.

She reached that in withdrawing from the team competition.  She felt her anxiety was holding back the team, and right or wrong, she thought their score would be better off without her.

But she's not the only one whose high expectations handicap them.  Naomi Osaka, the number one ranked female tennis player in the world, competing in her home country, faltered and was an early loser in the tennis competition.  In both the women's and men's Taekwondo competitions, I saw the number one players in the world lose in early rounds. In addition, the USA men's basketball team looks shaky for the first time in decades.

These disappointments happen every Olympics.  But they do seem more egregious this year.  Perhaps the additional complication of COVID is contributing.  I don't know.  But I sympathize with them all, both those who fail expectations and the underdogs who exceed expectations.

The thrill of following the unusual.

One of my favorite parts of the Olympics is following sports that don't get a lot of play in America.

When the '96 Olympics came to Atlanta, the one sport Alison and I saw together was a team handball game.  It featured the United States playing a premier European team (unfortunately, I have forgotten which one).  The American team was not very good.  The European team looked buff and athletic.  The United States looked like overfed frat boys who had gotten together as a lark. Our goalie reminded me of John Belushi and John Candy.  He didn't, but you could almost picture him drinking a beer and smoking a cigarette while he was trying to block shots.

I fell in love with the sport, at least as far as Olympic events went.  And with my multiple streaming services and unlimited cloud DVR, I've been able to watch more than ever this year.

But that's not all.  I have also seen - table tennis, taekwondo, rugby, water polo, equestrian dressage, the women's triathlon, and so much more.

Follow the numbers

Yes, as hard as it is for me to admit it, I have an accounting/numbers side to me, mostly in relation to statistics.

I used to spend a lot of time with medal counts, coming up with my own valuing system to see who the true medal leaders are. I assigned 3 points for gold, 2 points for silver, and 1 point for bronze.

I don't do that much anymore.  If I did, I could tell you who the top five were at this moment -

United States    61 pts

China                55 pts

Japan                49 pts

ROC                  42 pts

Great Britain    32 pts

Good thing I'm not doing this anymore.  

Let them wear what they want to wear

The Norwegian beach volleyball team made a team decision to switch from bikini briefs (emphasis on BRIEF) to shorts (they look to me similar to the shorts cyclists wear).  They made this decision in a European Handball League.  It was the European Handball League that fined them, not the Olympic executives.  You may not like the decision.  That's understandable.  But please understand where it came from.

The Olympics deals with teams all over the world, and modesty standards vary.

This is a picture of a beach volleyball contest.  Can you see a difference in what each team chose to wear?  The Egyptian team is dressed one way, and the Italian team another. Can you tell which team is which?

The point is, I don't really care as long as it is the athletes themselves who choose what they wear.  I have heard some commentary from female beach volleyball players that they have reasons for wearing what they wear, and it is for competitive comfort and not to be vavavoom.

I take them at their word.  Let them wear what works for them, and the rest of us shouldn't judge one way or another.

Are sports sexualized?  Maybe.  But...spoiler alert...humans are sexualized.  Ask some women who watch the oiled-up shirtless flag-bearer from Tonga, divers, wrestlers, swimmers, or water polo players.  If they're honest with themselves, some of them are sighing.  It's hard to get around.  Heck, the original Greek Olympics were done naked (or so I hear - I wasn't there).

What you don't want to see is athletes forced to wear what they don't want to (important proviso - team sports have to make a decision AS A TEAM).  

I hope that is one thing we can all agree on.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some beach volleyball to watch.

Plans Laid Low Wednesday Wanderings

 

Home with the dogs today*, as I was yesterday.  I am laid low by intense arthritic pain in my driving foot, fever, and some congestion.  Alson had congestion problems a few days ago, and Benjamin has them right now.

It makes it difficult to sit and concentrate on writing, but I'll do my best.

---------------------

We got a new electric lawnmower, and it works pretty good.  Only thirty minutes to charge up, and then it runs for over an hour.  It runs longer than I can.

One of the things aggravating allergies right now is grass pollen. Our grass is fairly high (and more weeds than grass).  I feel like I need to cut it on the off chance it could help with the family allergy problems.  Unfortunately, there has been a lot of rain, and if that weren't the case, I would still have debilitating foot pain. I feel real guilty about not getting out there, but I'm not sure what to do about it.

Oh, well.  If I can ever get it done, at least I have a great mower to do it with.

-----------------------------------------

I had hoped to get back into fiction writing.  But it requires a great deal of concentration, and between the pains and the meds, it is difficult to do.

But all is not lost.  It is giving me more time to plot out the coming chapters.

--------------------------------

I haven't seen anything about the next OHC Writer's Guild meeting.  If I can get my problems under control, I would go.  

-------------------------

We have a book/coffee shop coming to Blackshear.  I looked in the building that was constructed for it, and it seems pretty far along, at least as far as furniture and shelving.  I don't know how long it will be.

I look forward to donating books, and encouraging a special display of local authors (like me).

-----------------------------------

Is anyone excited about the Summer Olympics?  I look forward to seeing more of my favorite obscure sport, team handball.  I saw a match when the Olympics were in Atlanta.

It is a little bit scary.  Japan may be pushing it too early, as they have experienced a recent rise in cases.  Holding the Olympics is not worth people dying.

------------------

I saw a story about a recent outbreak in Florida in an IT department of a government building. Of the seven people, six got COVID, four of those were hospitalized, and two of those died (a very high casualty rate).  Only one escaped unscathed and did not contract COVID.  What was different about thst person?  They were the only one who was VACCINATED.

Tell me again why getting vaccinated is not important?

Wanderingly yours,

T. M. Strait

*yes, I know.  The picture above shows sloths, not dogs.  Hey - MADE YOU LOOK!

Wandering Across An Eleventy Minute Wednesday Window

 

I've set my timer for eleventy minutes.  I will stop mid-word when it goes off.

God, it's tough being a sports fan loyal to a specific set of teams.  Good run, Michigan, but not the ultimate prize.  Moments like Atlanta United winning the MLS Championship are so rare - just makes it all the more precious when it does happen.  Go Blue!  I'll never give up on you!

Speaking of Blue, I don't need a fortune teller to let you know where I'll be come mid-October/early November - I'll be in jail.  Why?  For giving water to voters in voting lines.

I'm already at my fill line with tax season.  Have I said that before?

Mornings continue to unpredictable in timing when I can write.  I won't give up.  I'll keep looking at strategies and readjusting.

We have four dogs.  That is a lot, but they all have different personalities, and they complement each other, providing us a rich tapestry of love and joy.

We continue to traipse across the streaming world in watching television.  We are currently watching The One on Netflix.  It centers on a matching service that uses DNA to match you with the one person on Earth you are most meant to be with.  It uses pheromone matches or something like that.  It's not too bad, a little too focused on the inventor of the process, and not the effects of the process itself.  I think it's like a British show.

And now for the most important thing I've ever told you.  It is this - what I need to tell you, what I want you to know, is that I w

Stewing Monday Musings

 

With only eleventy minutes to write, it's hard to explore too much in-depth.

I only have time to let some concepts stew.  Maybe later they will turn into a full-fledged, well-thought-out post...but maybe not.

I know something's going on with the British Royals, and Meghan and Harry are upset about something.  Maybe more than one somethings.  I can't tell yet, because I've only read on the surface about their interview with Oprah.

There sounds like there is racism involved, most inexplicably directed at concerns of their child's skin color? They also seemed to be shunned in part or whole.

Quickie takes, that may be borne partly of ignorance -

Did they not know what they were getting into?  Would it not be better to stay and fight and try to change things from within?

And why exactly do we care so much about royalty anyways?  I don't understand this instinct of human nature.  Even though they are not OUR ROYALS, we pay a heck of a lot of attention to them.  And then, if that wasn't enough, we create our own royalty out of celebrities - movie stars, singers, sports figures.  And what the hell are the Kardashians, anyways?

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

Sunset Over Beaufort Wednesday Wanderings

This was last week. We took a short mini-vacation in Beaufort, South Carolina.  This is the view of the sunset from the deck of our vrbo rental.  Vrbo stands for vacation rentals by owner.  I don't think it's completely independent.  Somewhere there is a big corporation making some money - shared advertising resources, maybe?

Anyway, it was a great time.  The place we stayed in was very nice and relatively secluded.  The town was quaint, not super crowded, and all the stores and masks required signs, which everyone followed without fuss or muss.  There were no contradictory snotty signs that said this was store was not going to 'inforce"* the city ordinance, as I have seen in both Waycross and Milledgeville.  I didn't even see the waiver of liability signs that tell customers that they can't sue if they come into your establishment and get sick as a result.

It's a shame when you feel safer on vacation than you do at home.

----------------------------------------------

How are you, Tom?  Thanks for asking.  I continue to have knee and foot pains, but their severity has been reduced.  If I'm cautious, I think I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. 

I'm using a medicine/salve called Voldemort**, and I put marijuana*** on my foot (until I runned out- now I'm going to go back to my dealer****).

I think I've figured out that my condition is aggravated when I sit too long in certain positions.  This would explain why it happens more on vacation, where I have long car rides or plane trips.  

I don't think it was the car trip to Beaufort - that was less than three hours away. I think it was the five days glued to the desktop waiting for the election results to come in.  I really wanted to be there when Trump officially lost the election.  Ironically, it happened when I had finally given up and had gone out for a short walk.  

If only I had interrupted for more short walks, I wouldn't be as messed up as I am.

For the whole election chronicle, please see my whole series entitled "Sort of a Live Blog."

----------------------------------------------------------

I won't dwell more on the election here, as I have plenty of other blog stories about it.  Suffice to say, it has consumed me this month.

--------------------------------------

The Michigan Wolverines are terrible this year.  And...so what?  This is not the year for records and championships.  This is the year for just praying that the students, staff, and others involved remain safe. Should Harbaugh be replaced?  Not something to deal with this year.  The students need continuity now more than anything else.  I have a feeling Harbaugh will find another opportunity at season's end, and Michigan will be spared having to outright fire him.

---------------------------------

COVID-19 spread and destruction are worse than ever right now. They warned us that if we did not get a handle on it by now, that it would rage in the Fall.  It was ignored in many areas, and lo and behold, it is now raging out of control.

It has been demonstrated over and over, in different states and other countries, that mask-wearing, social distancing, testing, and contact tracing can bring this under control.  In some cases, lockdowns may be necessary.  

This is not an issue of personal liberty.  This is an issue of personal responsibility, of giving a damn about your fellow man.  I am so disgusted by those who've turned it into a political issue.

----------------------------------

I am reading Uncle Vanya by Anton Chekov, a play set in rural Russia.  It's in the public domain, so I'm thinking of updating to recent times and place it in South Georgia, with the goal of it being performed by a local theatre group.  

What I need to do is find an editable PDF version that will allow me to make changes.  To rewrite it from scratch might take me forever.

And I don't know if I want to sit forever in front of this computer to do it.  Not after what I've been through this last week. Viva la get up and stretch my legs more frequently.  Hopefully, I've learned my lesson.

----------------------------

Benjamin should be home early next week!  He still will have a couple of finals after Thanksgiving, but those will be online, which he can take at home. Then he'll be home until mid-January.

There was an outbreak at his college earlier in the semester, but that settled down after the College President threatened to crack down on those who were going off-campus for large parties. Benjamin has been super careful since Day One.

--------------------------------

Well, I won't bore you anymore.  For those who keep up with my blog, I appreciate you more than you know.  I'd share my writings even if it was just me and you and a dog named Boo, but it's nice to have reading friends.

Wanderingly Yours,

T. M. Strait

* seriously, a business in the area proudly displayed a sign that spelled enforcement as inforcement.

**Voltaren - sorry, it's not as funny as calling it Voldemort.

***Before I'm reported, I'm talking about a Hemp rub.

****by dealer, I mean Amazon.

No Politics Wednesday Wanderings

 

Although I have plenty to say about Trump's taxes and last night's debacle (I mean debate), I'm going to do my best for this final post of September to talk about things besides politics.

Ok, this is tougher than I thought.

Let me try again.

Here's my doggies attending a Cheerio's party.  They like me being home more.  I'm not sure why.

Anything else?

I found two of my books at Waycross Ware County Public Library, History of the Trap, and Crowley Stories!  They are in the back of the library, in a section for local authors.  So you can see there is quite a collection of us.  Do yourself a favor, if this is your public library, check any of these books today! My books are also available for purchase at the Okefenokee Heritage Center and Amazon.  Buy enough, and I'll be able to quit accounting and concentrate full time on writing.

Anything else non-political?

Look, I'm trying.

-----------

We may have to take down some damaged trees.  That will cost money.  I am so thrilled.

-----------

It's been a frustrating season for Atlanta United fans.  At least they're not becoming legendary like the Atlanta Falcons, who may be forever etching themselves as the go-to team for sports announcers when a team is blowing a big lead.  As in, "Are the Buffalo Bills pulling a Falcons today?"

-------------

I'm watching TV some.  I watched one of the worst shows ever last night.  It featured an uncontrolled bully running roughshod over everybody.  It was...

Crap.  Swore I wouldn't talk about that.

-----------------

Ok.  The struggle is real.  I've tried to be sweet and stretch my brain as much as possible.

112 more days until...well...you know.

Wanderingly yours,

T. M. Strait