Tuesday Tidbits

Word came out this week that for the third straight year the earth's temperature rose.  I know some viewers don't believe in Global Warming, but for Christ's sake, I live in Florida.  We'll all be under water in a few years!  Oh, wait.  Hmmm.  That would be a good thing.  Never mind.  

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I have watched three movies or series lately.  Two scored well, the third didn't.  The one that fell flat with me was a little Indie drama called Little Men.  Go ahead and skip this one - the story is about how 2 kids become acquainted, like each other, in fact one, an introvert blossoms.  They're parents end up feuding and one set has to move away.  End of story.  Life sucks sometimes.  Nothing to see here.  Rated by critics kind of well, but it fell flat with me; all I wanted to do was go to sleep.  

 If you don't have Netflix streaming then cut the cable and get it.  You can binge all kinds of things.  Something I have been savoring and just recently finished is The Crown.  It recently won a Golden Globe for best TV drama.  Its kind of like Downton Abbey meets Buckingham Palace.  On the surface it is about the ascension of Elizabeth to the throne of England after the death of her father, King George VI.  If you have an impression of the Queen as a dowdy frumpy old lade, imagine a feisty younger girl who all of a sudden has to learn the job of Queen and the politics of it all.  This is really good stuff.  Netflix spent 130 million on this 9 part story and each and every episode is beautiful to watch and riveting.  I highly recommend this - it's a fun view of the British royalty you never knew existed.  You don't have anything else to do, its cold outside - and you'll thank me when you've finished.   By the way, episode 9, Assassins, was beyond superb.  The way Winston Churchill jousts and then discovers a personal weakness with his portraitist I thought was quite sad and revealing.  By the way, John Lithgow as Churchill is nothing short of phenomenal.     

Every once in a while a film comes along that forces you to appreciate the art of movie making.  The animation and live-action The BFG by Steven Spielberg is one of those eye-opening films that makes you sit back when all is finished and smile.  Top notch story  telling mixed with breathtaking artistry this great film was overlooked when it came and that's why the DVD player was invented.  Its maybe a tad too long and your patience may be stretched a bit at the 3/4 mark but if you get past that 15 minutes, then you will be rewarded when it gets going again.  It is a story of friendship and come-uppance against bullies of all sizes.  If you have a couple hours you might consider BFG - you don't have to tell the neighbors you are going to watch a kids movie.  You may even discover you still have a little kid left in you yourself.  

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Inauguration Alternative Thoughts

This isn't really politics but damn!  What have they done to the Oval Office?  Is that yellow or chartreuse?  Wait a second:  I'm told it is gold.  Oh.  Sure looked like Mustard yellow to me.  

I'm going to give some non-political impressions of the Inauguration.  After last week's post I think I owe  Real Estate Agent, Reality TV star, President Trump at least one week of objectivity.  Frankly, I reworked this page three times taking stuff out that might offend readers.  Surely everyone is tired of it all - let's not add to the discourse, at least not this week.  

Nothing else.  No snarky comment, no partisan politics, just the beginning of Making America Great Again, I guess. 

I'm from Seaton so high fashion pretty much eludes me except for bib overalls and flannel shirts.  But, man, I loved those coats and dresses the First Lady wore.  Pure beauty and elegance.  Now I don't know if she has a brain or not, we'll find out, but she sure is easy on the eyes.

Wonder what was in that gift box Melania gave Michelle?

Okay, I couldn't resist.

I am no fan of Hillary but I did vote for her.  I wish I'd voted twice, but, man, that must have been excruciating for Hillary and Bill to watch what most folks thought was hers.  Like her or not, you have to hand it to her for showing up.

Inauguration Coin Has Liberals Furious

This was one of the items on Yahoo last Saturday morning.  I clicked it and there was no mention of Liberals being mad.  It was simply a place to order your commemorative coin.  When I left the site (without ordering) I then noticed the "sponsored" notice which is a clue that someone is trying to sell you something.  Why was that heading necessary?  I guess I'm more liberal these days, but I'm not furious.  That kind of language is inflaming.  

Social media is all agog over the report that the whitehouse.gov pages for climate change, healthcare, civil rights and LGBT were taken down.  Why is this a big deal?  Doesn't Trump have a right to post his priorities?  Why should he have the same as President Obama? 

I notice high-falutin folks like to give cheek kisses.  How do you do that?  Do they teach that at charter schools?  When do you know when one of them is appropriate?  When do you know whether one cheek is sufficient or both?  Does it come from the recipient or does the kisser take the initiative?  Is it based on political standing or on personal wealth?  Or can poor people do it, too?    Hmmm. 

Kellyanne Conway is as slippery as raw liver.  She is perhaps the best deflector of any spinner I've ever seen.  Except her weekend "alternative facts" comment.  If and when I screw up royally I want her to be my explainer.

You know those pictures where you see the before and after of a presidents tenure and see how the stress takes its toll?  I don't think   Trump will.  I just don't think he's going to feel the ungodly stress past prezes do.  And if it does, he'll blame the press. 

Damn!  I swore I wasn't going to be political.  Give me another chance?  

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As I sit here on a Sunday morning writing this particular Tidbit, I am somewhat hopeful...for weather today.  Some of the forecasts are calling for gusty wind and some rain.  I'm as giddy as a 9 year old hoping for a day off from school.  The endless blue sky and muggy warmth leaves me hoping for other things.  I like weather. 

Addendum:  like usual Florida weather, it all petered out down here.  Went to the beach to see the roiling waves and I'll post them later, but overall the weather was just a little gusty.  Didn't even rain.  

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The current nasty Mrs. Blythe attended the St. Petersburg chapter of the Women's March yesterday.  They had expected around 5,000 participants but the estimated crowd was over 20,000.  I did like the sign that read. "So Important Even Introverts Are Here".  

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A word I hear a bit lately is feckless.  As in someone is feckless.  Does that mean that someone has feck, then loses their feck?  How  do you lose your feck?

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I anxiously await a nice long stay in my Cabin in the Woods.  

Things I will be getting/doing:

Sofa
A coffee brewer with a timer
Painting the white trim
Cleaning the gutters
Area rug for living room
Some type of improved TV viewing
Painting the 2 bedrooms with Sherwin-Williams paint
More ornamental grasses
Hanging bear skins out to cure

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I'm a people person (ask anyone) but I generally try to avoid them if possible.  That's why I think self-checkouts at stores are great.

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WARNING!  ACHTUNG!  WARNING!

THE FOLLOWING VIDEO IS FROM SMANTHA BEE'S TV SHOW FULL FRONTAL.  IT IS A SLAM ON TRUMP.  DO NOT WATCH IF YOU ARE A FAN OF TRUMP. WATCH FOX, OR A GUY NAMED MIKE PENCE.  YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

WARNING!

WARNING!

WARNING!