Christmas is Over - Let the Greed Come Alive Again!

Let's hide our greed until the day after Christmas, huh?

There was just a report on the radio that they have finally come up with a cure for Hepatitis C that will be launched in 2014. What an amazing thing! Hepatitis C is a terrible disease (I think it is considered a disease) that can lead to many worse things. A lot of cases of Hepatitis C I know of have come from getting a tattoo but, that is not always the case. There are many people who got Hep C from blood transfusions and the like too. To treat, and totally get rid of the disease (nine out of ten test patients were totally cured), a person only needs to take one pill per day for twelve weeks. Sounds simple but, simplicity comes at a price. The drug is called Sovaldi and it costs $1000 per pill. So, for the twelve weeks of pills (84 pills in total) it will only cost you $84,000. Sure, the: rich, professional athletes, musicians... who have their bodies covered in ink can afford to be cured but, what about the rest that have this disease? I suppose, since it is such a quick cure and Gilead Sciences has to get rich from their work, they have to charge so much for the pills because they cannot make people take them for the rest of their lives. Most medicines are cheaper because they can make us take them for the rest of our lives and they can get their $84,000 (or whatever they get from each of us) over a longer period of time. It seems okay to rape us slowly over time but to rape us all at one time shows what kind of greed is involved. Congratulations Canadians, and your socialized medicine, you can now get rid of you Hepatitis C. Yes, I know there is a lot of money that goes into R & D (research and development) and the manufacturing and testing... but, seriously? I think it is curious that this article hit Forbes magazine the day after Christmas. I guess after Christmas they cannot be called Scrooges or Grinches; they didn't fool me. I'l like to think that the people that get into the various fields of science to try to make these kinds of discoveries are doing it for the betterment of life but, it's all about money. That's why I am one of the people that just squeak-by; I care about people and their well-beings (for the most part).

We recorded Dirty Laundry Podcast last night. I kind of wish we had heard that story before we recorded the show.

Most people hate Mondays but, this is my favorite day of the week. I have never been afraid to be a little different. Today we are working on the basement. I am not going to say that we are adding a wall or two because, that would require a building permit. We're just "working on" the basement. I should probably trim my finger nails first. Ever wonder why certain thoughts just enter our minds? I wonder that just about every time I write the blog.

My chest hurts. I am not sure if it is a muscle thing or a heart attack. I have heard that the heart is a muscle so, maybe it is both. How can the heart be a muscle?  I just checked and the source I went to said it's "a hollow muscular organ that pumps blood..." Does that make it a muscle?

I am starting to be jealous of all of the people that have been off for the holidays. The same jealously will not repeat itself next year. I could have had the two+ weeks off with pay but now, when this check comes, it will be almost twice as big as the other boring ones throughout the year. The crazy thing about working over the holidays is that we are working harder than normally; makes sense since we're getting paid double. I have to quit worrying about others so much; most of them couldn't give a Matt's ass about me. Next year we are going to be on a beach in a warm place for Christmas. If I am alive probably in Mexico or the Caribbean and, if I am dead probably in Hades. Some people call it Hell I call it Hades. Any suggestions on resorts? I would rather stay in one that is owned by one of the big hotels (Hilton, Sandals, Marriott...) because they have something to lose if we die there so, they are probably a bit safer. We intend to stay on the resort property the entire time so we don't get our heart muscles harvested.

It takes me hours to write one blog. Every time I write about something I tend to go off surfing the web. I just got done checking n all of Sandals' resorts and deals. Riviera Maya looks nice, Bermuda, Spain, Malta (not Illinois), Cuba (yes, THE Cuba), Jamaica (though more pricey for some reason - maybe Red Stripe?). I must have the attention-span of a poodle.

It's almost noon already and I haven't gotten hardly anything done yet. Thanks a lot for being here for one of the last days of 2013. I might blog again tomorrow. Tomorrow is New Years Eve isn't it? I will ring in the new year at work - making double time (basically). Have a great yest of your year - in case I don't get to blog that to you tomorrow. I will let you know when the new show is ready. I hope to get a few minutes to get that edited today between all of my other tasks. TTTT (or next year)...MITM (auld lang syning) OUT!

No Left On Red?

I guess it is optional but, this makes you a jerk!

While I was driving last night, making a legal right turn on red after a complete stop as is allowed in the state of Illinois, I started thinking about the Royal Empire. They drive on the left, or port, side of the road where as we Americans drive on the starboard (right) side of the road. Firstly, I thought to myself, "self, why did our people decide to drive on the opposite side of the road?" I guess since the automobile was invented here we probably made that decision first didn't we? Or did they drive their buggies and carriages on the left side of the road? Anyway, I also wondered, "selfie, do they get to make left turns on red after a complete stop?" Also, it is not consistent, as far as I know, in all states of the U. S. and A.. I just checked and it IS legal in all the states except in New York City (figures). I think I turned right on red several times in New York City when I was there (allegedly). Oops - maybe the statue of liberty statute of limitations has run out by now? I wish my mind would just shut-up sometimes.

Today is my Friday so, I work tonight and then have two days of before working the next holidays (New Year's Eve and New Year's Day). The last four days have been skeleton crews but, tonight will be a full crew because this is not considered part of our holiday pay. We will still be slow but, it will seem even slower because there will be more of us. I liked the pace last night. The time flew by because of the extra load we have to pull to cover for the people who are not working. Tonight will drag-on but, weekend comes after that for me and then, when I return on Tuesday we will be on the skeleton crew again until after the New Year. I may have just bad a big mistake. I just had a big bowl of chili. I think I have a ride-along with me tonight and they may have to suffer from my potential blunder.

We definitely are recording the new Dirty Laundry Podcast tomorrow. I hope we remember how to do it. We still got more downloads and visits and embeds and other things that people do with podcasts yesterday. That won't last forever so, unless we want to become yesterday's news, we had better get on it. People have to think they cannot live without us when, in turn, the show cannot live without them/you.

I have to get some winks before work. Have a nice night. I don't know if I will blog tomorrow but, be ready just in case. Thanks for you know what and you know what. MITM adios!

Loonie Toonie but, not like you think!

Tonight is my Thursday. Surprisingly, as slow as we are, this work week is going pretty quickly. We have been operating on a skeleton crew; I have been one of the skeletons. I was a skeleton by volunteering. There are many people below me on seniority these days and I could have had about 14 days in a row off with pay had I chosen to go that route but, I decided to work so others didn't have to work over the holidays. I will work New Year's Eve and New Year's Day too. As much as I bitch about the commercialization of everything this time of year it would be too much of a hypocrite for even me if I thought I should have these days off. I think I have just become a crotchety old man when it comes to some things. Next year, however, I think I will take this entire two weeks off. It sounds like we are going to go on one of those all-inclusive vacations and escape the weather and the Black Fridays and the after-Christmas sales... and give our money to a greedy resort that has nicer weather. It sounds like we are leaning toward Mexico somewhere. Maybe Europe - do they have all-inclusive resorts there? So, I guess I will be responsible for people working instead of me here and for people working for me there. Do you suppose they spit in your food and drinks for messing up their Christmas? Maybe they just do that because we are Americans. That's why whenever I am in another country I say I am Canadian; nobody hates the Canadians. I have a nice collection of foreign money so I will be sure to take some Loonies and Toonies with me. I love that their money is named after Bugs Bunny cartoons (or visa versa).

I decided to finally join the new age and get a mobile phone (I almost called it a cellphone but, I am not sure if that is even a term anymore - getting back to the old man that I am) that was really a mobile communications hub . I got a Samsung Galaxy Note 3. It makes sense that I would finally get out of the stone age; I write this blog, I do a podcast and I went to school to study every form of communication known to mankind yet, I was way behind most everybody else in communications. Now I can blog and post right from my phone without being in a WiFi hot spot. I know you have probably been able to do that for quite some time but, I wanted to make sure all of these things weren't just fads before I climbed aboard. Now I can watch Netflix anywhere and listen to Pandora no MATTer what I am doing.I can also play Texas Holdem if I am stuck in an airport or a doctor's office while I wait. I may even take-up Words With Friends again now that I can do it more readily rather than get home and find that I had to catch up on 100 games. I am not sure if I want to do that though. That makes me think - I wish Deadwood would come onto Netflix; I loved that series and could watch it over-and-over forever.

I may call this the best television series of all time (even over Breaking Bad)

We have to record a new Dirty Laundry Podcast here pretty soon. It's tough to keep up our  usual routines this time of year isn't it? Is "usual routines" redundant? I think it may be. I just looked and we are still getting listens and downloads and embeds and such from the show every day so, I feel we owe it to people to get our asses in gear and do another show. Cha Cha works pretty much night and day and, when she is not working, I am either working or sleeping. She works from home now which is nice but, she works more now than she did when she worked in the office. I guess we save money by here not having to drive into the office very often now though. We will record a new show and have it up by Tuesday though.

I think I broke my pinky at work last week. Or maybe I broke my pinkie (not sure which is correct spelling). I am sot sure what is correct. I didn't say anything  because I what in the heck can be done anyway? What is it with me and philanges at work? I got my big toe chopped off at work when I was seventeen and now this. I didn't look to get anything from the toe way back then and I am not looking for anything now for the baby finger. I slipped on ice and while trying to catch myself from falling I jammed it into a building wall. The ice should not have been there and I suppose I some would try to capitalize on this sort of thing. I am not that type of person. I will just have a swollen pinkie that will hurt like hell for awhile every time I bump it. I can't tape it to the one next to it because it's cold as balls out and then I wouldn't be able to wear my gloves. Mittens would not be practical so, I will just wince every now and again.

I suppose in the next week or so we will be inundated with those stupid lists we get at the end of each year. Top ten films and books and television shows and, what famous people died and the biggest news stories of the year... I think when it's all over I will do the Top Ten Year End Lists. I may actually do that for the podcast.


Can I just say that I believe I am the only person in the world who doesn't care for Kristen Wiig. I am speaking about her acting; not talking about her personally. She is probably a very nice person. I liked Bridesmaids and there are a few characters that she has done that have made me laugh but, overall, she is pretty untalented as far as I am concerned.

Have a great day. Now that I can blog off-and-on I am more likely to blog again tomorrow - adding things throughout the day and night. Thanks a lot for hanging-in there with me both here and with the podcast. You are definitely on my Top Ten List! TTTT (almost certainly)...MITM (out). TA!

I Think I Scrooged Myself Over

The Scrooges are everywhere. I am not talking about the people who are not in the Christmas spirit; I am blogging about the people who are the ones putting the rest of us in these moods. The stores that are requiring their employees to work Thanksgiving day and now the same businesses that are open 24 hours on Christmas Eve. The ones that are screwing us out of everything we are willing to give so that our loved-ones can have a nice holiday season. They are preying on our kindness and using our own niceness against us. I work tonight and tomorrow night but those choices were my own. I figured it would be nice to work so that some of my coworkers could spend the time with their families. I did this even though only one of them would have done the same for me on Thanksgiving had it come to that. Now that I write that I wish I would have Scrooged them over.

We haven't recorded a podcast in a couple of weeks. I am not really sure when we will again; sometime this week I imagine. Cha Cha has been very busy with work and Splenda was up here this past weekend. We went to Pheasant Run for the weekend with my parents. We had a really nice time. I ate wayyyyy too much - whoever invented the dinner buffet and the breakfast buffet was a genius and a demon all at the same time. Buffets were probably invented by Jenny Craig or that Atkins dude or someone so they could start their weight-loss programs. So much for the diet that I started last week. I will have to be one of those resolution dieters I suppose.

While I write this I am watching Roots. I remember watching this when it was on television in 1977. I know there was no cable television then and HBO may have just started around this same time. We had four channels and they were all full of snow even in the summer. I just checked and Home Box Office started in 1972. Is that even possible? We must have been way behind in getting HBO (the first movie I ever watched on HBO was The Exorcist - wow I am old).  Roots was back when we thought O.J. Simpson was a great guy and it was cool that he was in this movie. This movie (mini-series is what we would call it now) was a really big deal. People were still pretty sensitive about a lot of what was shown and said in Roots back then. There are a lot of pretty popular people from the time in the movie: Mr. Brady, Mr. Grant, Mr. Cartwright, Sam the Snowman from Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer,Willis Drummond, Lily Munster, James Evans Sr., Helen Willis... Not to mention: Maya Angelou, George Hamilton, LeVar Burton, Louis Gossett Jr., Scatman Crothers, Ben Vereen, Vic Morrow... This show casting all of these celebrities must be what gave them the idea for The Love Boat. Coincidence that it began in 1977? Methinks not!

I have to get Fabio up to go do some last minute non-denominational gift shopping. I hope he has a good idea of what we are going for. LOL - Chicken George (Louis Gossett, Jr.) just told Kunta Kinte / Toby (LeVar Burton) that "Chistmas was when Jesus up and got hisself born and white folks give each other what none of em need nohow..." pretty funny right after I wrote what I wrote. Maybe somebody is trying to tell me something. Well played Alex Haley, well played.

Have a nice Christmas Eve and a good Christmas day. I probably won't blog tomorrow because most of you will be with family and won't have time to read anyway. I guess if the mood arises I will blog but, we'll see. TTT probably after Christmas....MITM (hypocritically holiday shopping) Out. Fa La La La La La La TA TA!

I Am a Bumble - Finally it Makes Sense

It's Friday and, this week at least, it is Friday for me too; I took tomorrow off  from work. Splenda has been home from school for a couple of days and we are celebrating Christmas with my parents tomorrow (over the weekend). It appears my hypocrisy knows no bounds. Then I will drive Splenda back to Champaign in a (predicted) blizzard on Sunday. Hopefully I will die on the way back home rather than on the way there because the world is a better place because she is in it. I have put in my time and I am certain that I am slowing the Earth's roll a bit. It kinda stinks that she is not going to be here for the actual holidays but, I am working anyway. It just stinks that she will be gone again. The holidays are just excuses both pro and con.

I think, after I drop Splenda off and drive back up here, provided I survive the journey, Cha Cha and I will record the new load of Dirty Laundry Podcast. Why are Christmas colors the same as the colors of the Italian flag? Does the Vatican have something to do with that? I never really thought of it until I made that link Christmas colors there. This is religion's busy season too - nice play Catholics. I guess it was their busy season way before the retailers invented other things to share get their cut of the wealth. I bet the collection plates took a dip that year. I know I sound like a Scrooge but, I really am not. I love the Christmas Spirit and wish it would last all year long. I am glad we are finally at the point in our lives where it is not about the gifts and the money.

This year is a Christmas experiment of sorts. We limited gifts and decided to just spend time with one another. Knowing my mom, as I do, she will ignore the minimalist Christmas that we are trying to establish and go over the top. In her defense on this one, we are paying for their stay at the resort so, in a way, we are breaking the rules too. The package (see, it is a Christmas package) includes the hotel, dinner, a Christmas play, brunch... The best thing is that we will spend time together even if it is blizzarding out there. Bring on the "frightful" Mother Nature. The place where we are staying has one of those pools that you can swim under a glass wall from the indoor pool to the outdoor pool. We stayed at one of these in St. Louis in the winter once and it was fun. I am hoping for a blizzard while we are there so I can swim in a blizzard; I just added that to my bucket list. That's one thing on the list that just now started.

I am pretty stuffed-up. Seasonal allergies or the beginning of my punishment for being a humbug? Don't they always get punished in stories for not having the Christmas spirit until the end when they see the light? Maybe I will see the light and spray some sinus medicine up not nasal orifice.

I have to be done here now. I will probably take my computing devise with me on the "weekend" because I always wake up before everybody else and I can blog then. Have a great rest of your day and your night. Be safe if it gets blizzardy out. Blizzary keeps getting those red squiggles underneath it. So, I will trademark, copyright, patent pending that term right now. TTT (probably Sunday morning)...MITM bumbling out. TA!

On the Negative 8th Day of Christmas...

Tim from The Office (before there was a Jim in America)

I just heard on the news that this year is already the 33rd snowiest year to date. Damn, I thought it was the 31st snowiest. I guess that's why I'm not a weatherman.

Last night Cha Cha and I went so see The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. It was good most of the time. It was a little too long. The scene with the dragon carried-on a bit. I guess Peter Jackson (the director) must have figured that if he spent the much on CG (computer graphics) he was going to use them as much as possible. A couple of other things that distracted me were when Gandolf said that something was 300 miles away. I think the term "mile" has been around since like 1500 but, this story seems like it was way before 1500. I just checked and the only thing I could find is that the stories are set in a time "between the Dawn of Faerie and the Dominion of Men." Also, one of the trolls sounded an awful lot like Mrs. Doubtfire. Peter Jackson, doing what I call "pulling a Hitchcock," has a small cameo in his films. He was very wise to do it at the very beginning of the film so people aren't distracted trying to find the "Easter egg."

Speaking of things that are off-putting and confusing - the new load of Dirty Laundry Podcast is ready. It's the show we recorded on vacation location. I am not really sure that the sound is that great because we were out on a pier over a lake in the winter with the wind blowing. There were gunshots and cows and a lady with a saddle and a dog and lots of wind. And a horse. Did I mention the horse? It should be back to normal this next week. Winter usually means more guests so I would count on that.

I cannot believe Christmas is only eight days away. I don't know why I can't believe it I just can't. Is this the negative 8th day of Christmas or do the twelve days start before Christmas? Cha Cha is on her way to pick Splenda up in Champaign. Splenda can't come home for Christmas for some reason; I am assuming it's because of one or two or three of her jobs. I am on a "need to know" basis and apparently "my people" feel I don't need to know these details. My "need to know" status has nothing to do with me being important. It all stems from me being feeble-minded and I will forget anyway so they will just wait until I ask. Over and over and over again I will probably ask. With Splenda being home this week we are celebrating the holiday with my parents this coming weekend. We are going to Pheasant Run for some kind of holiday celebration thingy. I know I was told the details but, again, this falls under the "need to know clause (or Claus)" again. It should be a nice time. If not, I will forget that it sucked in a week or two anyway so, whatevs!

I have been lazy with my weight again and yesterday I started back on the road to thinness. I had, at one time, lost 84 pounds and now I have slowly found about 40 of those pounds again. I guess they came home for the holidays too. I am not saying that I gained the weight to work Christmas Eve (wink wink) but, have you ever seen Santa and me together? I know what needs to be done and, I have proven that I can do it so, here I go again. I didn't even have popcorn at the movie last night. Don't tell anybody but, I snuck (is snuck a word?) a bottle of water into the theater. It doesn't sound correct to say I sneaked a bottle of water in but, I am pretty sure that this is grammatically correct. Stupid but correct. When drinking the water I felt like a teenager sneaking a bottle of whiskey into the movies. It was water. It was free from my tap (other than the water bill that I pay to the city)and would have cost a couple of bucks at the theater. I wonder if they have ever tried to sell carrots or celery at the theaters? I know I have seen pickles at some theaters but, not for awhile.

I have a lot to get done before I sleep before going to work tonight. The slow time is upon us at work for a month. I prefer busy but, it is what it is. Thanks a lot for spending a few minutes in my feeble, hollow mind today. Check out the podcast. We are growing and growing (no fat jokes please) and, one day, you'll want to be able to say, "I listened to them when they were..." Have a great day and night and I may blog again tomorrow. It depends what my mind tells me to do. TTTT (94%)...MITM (off) TA!

T Minus 61

There's some new movie coming out about dinosaurs; I think it's called Walking With Dinosaurs. I have never really been sure how that worked. Since they were prehistoric does that mean that they were before people? I know that I have learned that and am pretty sure if that is what it means but if they are prehistory how do we even know about them? So Jesus was after them? If God exists he must have created them too, right? I am not trying to spark religious thoughts I really do not understand. And, if they did exist (I think the evidence is pretty overwhelming that they did) there were no humans alive then right? Are we descendants of dinosaurs? Supposedly birds are probably the most likely relatives of dinosaurs I hear. This is the theory that I subscribe to anyway. Maybe some dinosaurs became birds and some became alligators and crocodiles and some became people? Who knows? The answer is - nobody.

My money would be on LaMotta

Speaking of dinosaurs - I recorded Saturday Night Live last night and watched it this morning when I got home from work. John Goodman was the guest host; I have always liked him. Rosanne was a stupid show but we watched it anyway. I think they were supposedly from Illinois so I felt compelled to watch. Because I can only remember useless crap I know the town was Lanford (or maybe Landford), Illinois. I remember in one episode Dan (Goodman) was reading a paper called the Dekalb Observer. I have lived in Dekalb for about 20 years and, I cannot remember a paper called the Observer. Anyway, that has nothing to do with anything; I was talking about dinosaurs. I saw one of the worst sketches I have ever seen on Saturday Night Live in it's almost 40 years the show has been on television. Hey, 2015 will be 40 years. A couple of movie icon dinosaurs were in the sketch with Goodman - Bobby De Niro and Sly Stallone. They are in a new film together about Jake LaMotta fight Rocky Balboa or something stupid. It seemed like they just walked on and were either ad-libbing or reading the teleprompter without their glasses on. The audience wasn't even doing the fake laugh that they usually do. It was painful.

I have to get that darned Thanksgiving load of Dirty Laundry Podcast finished and up today. We are still getting lots of downloads from the last show that we uploaded (with Holocaust survivor Magda Brown). We have to rethink this whole podcast. We may actually be capable of making a difference in the world rather than just entertaining with our idiocy. We have gotten downloads from countries that we have never had "hits" from before and, some from ones that have not visited in awhile. Entertaining is making a difference though. Escapism is very important. Just down try the Chinese Water Torture or whatever killed Houdini.

I have to get some sleep. I only slept three hours after work this morning. I had to shovel the driveway and start getting the basement ready for Jeff. Our dog is getting his own room, sort of. He's a pain in the ass and we want him two floors below us at night. Sometimes he barks in the MIDDLE of the night and we would rather sleep than listen to that. Stupid Jeff. If I could just teach him to help shovel the driveway I'd be cool with him.

I think I am going to take a nap before I finish editing the show. Thanks a lot for reading the blog. I will let you know when the new podcast is ready. Have a great whatever little time is left in your weekend. This is only my Saturday so I get an extra day. Tuesday Splenda comes home for a couple of days for an early Christmas with us and my parents - can't wait. TTTT...MITM (zzzzzzzzout) TA!

Death Becomes Me!

If you have hoped to get rid of me I am sorry to disappoint. I just saw that this is 938th blog so, pretty much no MATTer what happens, I would say I have to stick it out to reach the 1000 mark wouldn't you say? If I should die before I reach that blogging milestone can somebody please hide my body and write for how ever many more blogs I need at to make this goal. I feel that is pretty much what will tip me in for the Blogging Hall of Fame. It isn't always about quality. The voting members on the HOF committee are impressed by accomplishments but, longevity is a huge thing too. They figure if you have been resilient enough to last that long you must have had at least one or two decent blogs. Let's hope the committee doesn't read the blog before they vote. Okay, if I die write a few good blogs - not like the ones that I write- and maybe they will just read the ones you wrote and then think that maybe they were all good and I will still get in the HOF. What else do I have to put on my Tombstone? I don't eat pepperoni or sausage.

I haven't gotten the Thanksgiving Dirty Laundry Podcast show up yet. It is pretty much ready but, we seem to actually be making a difference in peoples' hearts and their minds right now with the show about Holocaust survivor Magda Brown. The Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center even linked the podcast on their website and tweeted the link to the show. One of my great hopes in life is that I can help, even if in a very small way, make the world a better place than when I got here. My time is running out; this may be my only chance. I really hope it's for altruistic reasons and not just to feed my ego. My heart is actually much bigger than my ego believe it or not.

I still have not found the time to watch that Modern Marvels episode on cemeteries. For the merriest time of the year it sure is darn busy. I was reminded that I was going to watch that and blog about it when I started today's blog  (pretty obvious how I reminded myself of that when I started today's blog). I will get to it sooner but, later.

Starting tonight or tomorrow my work is coming into one of our very slow seasons. We will be slow now for about a month. The week of Christmas we are even cutting our staff by 75% (just for that week). All of these days are paid holidays so, if you don't work you still get paid your regular pay. For the days that we get paid holiday pay they still need a few people to work and I volunteered. I got all of the days that I volunteered to work approved. My kids are older and I am a humbug these days anyway so, I will work. I think it's nice to let people who enjoy this season and have small children have a nice holiday (my hypocrisy only goes so far). Even if I am not very fond of most of my lazy co-workers it's not their families' faults that they suck. And you wonder why state workers get bad reputations. I, and a some of my co-workers, will not sink to their levels so, you cannot put that reputation on us. I am just taking the regular pay and then taking six days of "comp time." That means I don't take the extra pay rather just put those hours in a "bank" and use them as vacation days later. I will probably use them over the summer for a family vacation when we are slow at work for several months. I would rather work the days we are busier anyway. It's like pulling-off a bandage.

I am gonna wrap this up. I don't know if I will blog over the weekend. I will get the new show up by EOD (end of day) Sunday. Have a great weekend. Mine is only two days away(woohoo). Thanks a lot for hangin' your hat for a bit; it's nice that you did. Have a great rest of your day. TTT?...MITM (headed to the happy hunting ground - just in case) TA!

P.S. - does anyone want a 7-month-old Border Collie? He'd make a great Christmas gift.

Are We Hypocrites? Duh!

I am really looking forward blogging these days. It's cheaper than most forms of therapy. I have never received any mental therapy but, I always hear how expensive therapy is. My therapy consists of eating too much or drinking too much or, the best of all, blogging too much. As far as you see I do not blog more than once a day but, sometimes, the blog you read today was started yesterday. I will type some and then type more the next day and, with the magic of blogging, it will appear as if it was all just written. This one is all being done today. Unless, of course, you read it tomorrow then it was written yesterday. If you read it Thursday it was written two days ago and so on and so on...

The newest load of Dirty Laundry Podcast (with holocaust survivor Magda Brown) is growing legs as we say in the podcast biz. The shows always have been a bit more popular when we have had guests. I never really thought about it until I looked at the numbers (downloads, views, plays...) but, what do people who live in Germany today think about the Holocaust? I am not really sure if I am supposed to capitalize the word "holocaust" but, when I refer to The Holocaust, I assume that it is a proper noun (the proper name of something in this case) and, by capitalization rules, should be capitalized, right? Anyway, as I digress as I often do. We have received more downloads in one single day (yesterday) from Bundesrepulik Deutschland (the Federal Republic of Germany). We have always received numbers from Germany but never like this in one week. There are things in America that we don't talk about very much and I assume that The Holocaust is one of those things in Germany.

In 1942, two months after Pearl Harbor was attacked, President Franklin Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066 which ordered all people in the USA of Japanese ancestry, both citizens and non-citizens, inland (outside of the Pacific military zone). There were centers that resembled concentration camps built to house these people (many of them as American as anyone with European ancestry). I bet not many people have even heard about that dark historical fact about The U.S. of A.. Sorry, I got off on one of my asides. So, that is probably similar to what The Holocaust is like in Germany - they don't talk about it and, they hope the memories die. Now, even though I was born in Germany, I am guessing that I am no longer welcome there. Maybe I need to get another passport; I will have my name on the passport recorded as Jason Bourne.

Holy crap is it cold today. I went out and fueled-up the 4Runner today and it was 6 degrees. I am not sure what it was with windchill. It's no big deal, we expect it here in the MIDDLEwest. It's gonna get a lot worse before it gets better. I just heard on the radio that there is a winter weather advisory for tonight. Guess who is on foot patrol outside for seven hours at work tonight and has two thumbs? This guy!

I watched part 2 of Bonnie and Clyde early this morning. I liked the movie but, I am not sure how much I believe of it. I believed it right up until the very end so, now I question everything I had previously believed. Yesterday, if you read the blog, you saw a photo of Clyde Barrow's grave-site and headstone that I took while in Texas (you can just scroll down if you didn't read yesterday's blog). At the very end of the film they showed a very large above-ground tombstone. His was a small headstone flat on the ground. Did they not get permission to film the real headstone? Were they afraid to climb the fence or squeeze through the fence like I did? Couldn't they, at the very least, have recreated the actual headstone?

I know I was going to talk about that Modern Marvels show about cemeteries but, that will have to wait until tomorrow now because, I went off on a different tangent. I have not watched that show yet anyway so, it would be tough to talk about it. The little I did see of it was very interesting and reinforced many of my thoughts. We always like things that reinforce our beliefs and thoughts don't we? Speaking of beliefs - I belief believe that it's time to end.

Thanks a lot for stopping by again. If you could help make the latest version of Dirty Laundry Podcast go viral I would be ever more grateful. TTTT...MITM (out) TA!

Burn Me Up and Flush Me Down!

Yeah! I got to shovel snow last night for the first time this winter. I bet it won't the last. why did my people decide to settle in this part of the world?

Clyde Barrow's gravestone with Jameson and shotgun shells

I recorded the television movie (part one, at least) of Bonnie and Clyde. I guess it's on three different networks all at the same time. I chose The History Channel because then it seems more educational. I have always had a fascination with depression-era gangsters. When we went on our regular baseball park trip (this time to Texas) a couple of years ago we visited Bonnie and Clyde's graves. They are buried in separate cemeteries but how do you see one and not the other? I think I blogged about it back then. Clyde's was in a cemetery that was locked and had a sign that read "no trespassing..." So I thought to myself, "self, WWCBD?" (what would Clyde Barrow do?) I squeezed between the gate and the fence and saw where Clyde's grave was immediately. It was easy to spot because it was the one with the bottle of Jameson Irish Whiskey and shotgun shells all over it. We also visited Lee Harvey Oswald's grave that trip. I am not sure why I have such an interest in gangsters. It seemed like most of them only killed people who were trying to stop them. Mostly! That doesn't make it right but, just like robbing the banks, it was mostly about survival. I am not sure that I would not have been a gangster had I lived in the times of The Great Depression or had tough times like these people. I keep waiting for a movie about George "Baby Face" Nelson. I am getting tired of waiting and may have to make that one myself. I should have done it earlier so I could have played him; I am too old now I think. 

I know I keep plugging the most recent load of Dirty Laundry Podcast but, I am very proud of this one. I am not sure why. I didn't really do anything other than find out about Magda Brown (the Holocaust survivor), contact The Holocaust Museum and Education Center and workout the details and go there and interview her and edit and upload the show. Compared to what Magda did, not even to mention that she did most of the talking on the show, I did very little. It's a great story and you really should hear it.

Bonnie and Clyde was pretty good. There were a lot of things that I didn't know but, there may be lies just to make the story more exciting. I guess that's all I care about anyway. Why should facts get in the way of a good story? I am not saying there were historical inaccuracies because I was not there. I am simply saying I just want a good story. By looking at the photo over there to the left I would say that there are already lies since the people playing B & C are much better looking that the real gangsters. While I watched I knew that there would be some ending that would entice me to watch the next, and final, installment. If I watched the two-hour show all the way to the end what makes them think I am not going to watch part two without their big cliffhanger? It would be cool if Gene Wilder were in this version too just as a cameo as a banker or something for giggles. Did I just say giggles? Hey, Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty were good looking too. We can handle the truth that not everybody is/was good looking. I face that fact every morning in the bathroom mirror - thanks for making me feel like I am the only hideous one! Maybe I wouldn't feel so ugly if some people in movies looked like they really should. Thank you The Walking Dead.

Now, on The History Channel, is a documentary about cemeteries appropriately entitled "Cemeteries." Ironic and "appropriate" since I just put that photo I took at Clyde Barrow's grave-site up there at the top of this blog?  I am recording this show and will watch it and probably blog about it tomorrow. I have always said that I want to be cremated and have my ashes sprinkled into the ocean even though I am mesmerized by cemeteries. As far as I am concerned my ashes can be flushed down the toilet; they'll eventually reach the ocean or get evaporated up and rained down on everybody again one day. This blog can serve as one of my last wishes. I know I probably will have lots of wishes between now and my death but this is officially one of my wishes (entered on this date 12/9/2013 and witnessed by you who are now reading this). Just like everything, from what I have seen from this show so far, it just demonstrates what we all know - death is a HUGE business and there is money to be made by others. Flush me down and give what little I have to my family. 

I have lots to do so I have got to scoot. Have a/an (add your own adjective here) day. There's a lot of rough things going on in my part of The Middle right now. Don't worry, nothing desperate or dire just what we as humans face off-and-on all of our lives. I hope things are going better for you and yours. TTTT...MITM (out). TA! 

The Jungle Never Sleeps

I have connection for the Little Caesar's Pizza Bowl

Since yesterday's blog there is now about 0% chance I will be working security at the Tosito's Fiesta Bowl. I was looking forward for a chance to be in Arizona during the winter for a couple of days. Now, instead, there is a chance that I could work security at the Little Caesar's Pizza Bowl in Detroit. I am not quite as excited for that one but the getting paid for the entire trip is sill enticing. Detroit, however, is much closer than Phoenix/Glendale so it is not as lucrative that way either. I am not sure if I would even volunteer for that assignment.

I definitely have the holiday blues. There's a lot going on that I will not talk about here. At least not now. Never say never. I feel a lot like a combination of George Bailey and Gil Buckman.

While I blog I am watching Disney's Chimpanzee. I thought about seeing it when it was in the theater but nobody else wanted to see it and an old fart in a theater watching a kid's movie seems creepy. Cha Cha doesn't care for apes and chimpanzees are in my top five favorite animals so, we didn't see it. Over Thanksgiving weekend there was free a Cinemax, HBO, Showtime... weekend. Before we went out of town I scrolled through and set up recordings for shows that I thought looked good. Chimpanzee happened to be one of those movies. It will be several months before I am able to watch everything recorded. I just watch stuff as background noise for the most part. This film just follows a family of chimpanzees, especially a baby named Oscar through this life. So far, an excellent film. "Time to rest but the jungle never sleeps."

Proud to call her my friend 

The new episode of Dirty Laundry Podcast is up; I uploaded it this morning after I go off of work. I loved editing this show. There was not much editing actually; it was more just listening to Magda Brown talk about her living thorough the Holocaust as a Jew in a Concentration Camp and actually making a daring escape. What an amazing lady. And to think that there thousands of people living though this horror.

It is Saturday night (my Friday) and I need to get a few hours of sleep before I get ready for work. I am going to take a break here and finish writing this in the morning. It will seem timeless to you but when the creative gears are switched drastically, for better or worse, you will know why. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz (hopefully)

Work is done and I slept for a whole six hours. Six all in one stretch is really good for me.

Today is the day that John Lennon was shot. Other than going to a game the final year of the old Yankee Stadium visiting The Dakota, where Lennon was shot, for some reason, is one of my most vivid memories of visiting New York City. Maybe seeing Strawberry Fields in Central Park, near The Dakota, added to that? It seems odd that Nelson Mandela and John Lennon died right around the same time of the year. They were very similar in a lot of ways. I hope I am worthy enough for the cosmos to decide that I should die around this time of year too. Not that I am in the same league as these two humanitarians but I like to believe that if I had their influence I would use it the same way that these two great men did.

Cha Cha and I went to IKEA a couple of weeks ago and I am still putting things together from that trip. Last week I put Cha Cha's chair and desk together and today I changed the lamp in her office. She works from home now unless there is a meeting she must attend so we are redoing her office. It's starting to look very nice. IKEA is a fun place to go. It's like the It's A Small World Afterall of shopping. IKEA has lots of great home and office things that you won't see anyplace else and the prices are good too. Gotta admire the Swedes. I do hate putting together their stuff sometimes though. The desk was pretty easy but the hanging lamp was kind of a pain. It's always kind of nerve-racking when dealing with electricity I suppose. I also put a shelf together and now have to go to one of the home improvement stores in town to get the stuff to hang it.

Winter seems to have hit the upper MIDDLE finally. The snow is beautiful right now. I will be sick of it by Tuesday when I have to spend the entire night walking in  it.

I have to get started editing the podcast we recorded over Thanksgiving in southern Illinois. In the meantime, make sure you listen to the one with Magda Brown. I cannot overstate how much she impressed me. Have a great rest of you weekend while I begin mine. I will let you know when the other new podcast is ready so listen to the newest new one in the meantime. Thanks a lot for being here all the time (the blog and the podcast). TTTT...MITM (snowed out) TA!

Win the TITLE THE BLOG contest!

For some reason I decided to change the look of the blog. By "the look" I just mean the background photo and the color scheme. Their options are kind of limited but, I imagine I could use one of my own photos if I were so inclined. If this were a business and/or a money-making blog I would see about that but it is more just about me writing and maybe making someone smile or think every now and then. I think change is good and I am in need of some changes. Not big changes but even a small ripple in an ocean can turn into a tidal wave with time. We never really know which of our ripples will cause a tsunami. Wow, I am deep (and wide) - nice water reference huh? I just searched for a photo to add here for "deep and wide." I figured I would see a bunch of porn photos but was delighted to find that I did not. Unfortunately, however, the one up there in the upper right was the best one I could find.

As you are very aware by now, Nelson Mandela dies yesterday. Right after I posted yesterday's blog I went to the news and saw that sad information. I don't need to say anything about Mandela. You can turn on any of a dozen of television channels or radio stations or websites and see and hear everything you even wanted to know about this great man. Talk about a dude to had courage and fortitude for his convictions. I always was a great admirer of Mandela. I am planning on watching Invictus this weekend. I have not looked but I am sure that someone will rearrange their programming to show this film. I have seen it before and know it's good plus, how can you go wrong with Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon?

Tomorrow is Pearl Harbor Day. I am not sure if this was insensitive but I when I was younger I would have a couple of Kamikazes (the drink) at a bar on Pearl Harbor Day. I suppose most things are about intention and I always intended it as a salute and tribute to the soldiers that died that day and the good that eventually came from them giving their lives (I was gonna say "the ultimate sacrifice" but that term has always sounded very cheesy to me). It will be very fitting that I WILL GET THE INTERVIEW OF MAGDA BROWN (the holocaust survivor) LOAD OF DIRTY LAUNDRY PODCAST UP TODAY OR TOMORROW! Cha Cha says she should have a few minutes this afternoon to record the intro and outro and, if not, it will be just me. The clock is ticking. By working from home she now works about 18 hours a day. I guess she is saving on gas money and driving in the upcoming winter weather though.

There is a chance that I will get to work security at The Tostitos Fiesta Bowl in Phoenix (at University of Phoenix Stadium where The Arizona Cardinals play). It is probably a slim chance but, I am excited that there is even a chance. It sounds like I would get paid from the moment that we leave until the moment we get back. I am sure that it will come down to a seniority issue and I will be about number five in seniority then. They will probably only need two of us. Maybe some people would like to be off that time (New Year's Eve and New Year's Day) but we will see. I have already volunteered to work those two days before this was mentioned, as well as the other four days during the holiday season that we get paid holiday-pay for during the holiday week. Those are good days because we get paid our hours for working AND the holiday hours. I would rather get paid to ride on a bus to Glendale, Arizona in the MIDDLE of the winter though! I wish they would go by job performance because then I would get to go for sure. The people who are above me in seniority did not sign-up for working over the holiday week but, I bet they will all volunteer when this gig is offered. Unions are good for many things but they also protect the sub-par workers. I am sure I will be blogging about how I got screwed in a couple of weeks.

I love Tostitos - does that help?

I am gonna wrap-up. I don't want to make these too long. Thanks a lot for reading the blog - it warms the cockles of my heart. I am not even sure what a cockle is but I know that it is better if they are warmed for some reason. Cockles are probably like pork - if under cooked you could get really sick. Have a great weekend - mine starts on Sunday. I will probably blog again tomorrow (maybe). TTTT (maybe)...MITM (bumming out because of seniority) TA!

"Something Suddenly Came Up"

"something suddenly came up"

I am seriously considering becoming Jewish. I have to research it more but, I am investigating at this point. On a related MATTer - did I mention  that I HATE CHRISTMAS within the last few hours? Tomorrow night is our holiday party or awards banquet or whatever it is called at work. I signed-up saying that I was going but I believe when I go into work tonight I am going to rescind that declaration. I am hoping that the sign-up sheet is still there in the squad room and I can simply cross my name off but if I have to tell someone I will pull the old Marcia Brady "something suddenly came up." When I say "something" I am referring to my total hatred of this commercial farce. Nobody will ask why. I am not sure if anyone would even know that I wasn't there save for the few people who know me well. I don't know if I am up for an award but, if I am, they can say, "accepting for Matt In The Middle is..." I know I am getting a "safe driver award." That one seems kind of silly because our main focus is public safety so this one should be a given. I guess as much driving as we do in our jobs it is good to reward the people who don't get in any minor vehicular mishaps. So, getting back to my investigation, if you are Jewish and get credit for me signing-up let me know and I will say that you are my sponsor. I am also open to any other non-celebrating "religions."

My mom wants Christmas lists from all of us. I love that she wants to make sure that, if she is buying us something, it is not a waste of their time and money but, I really don't want anything. And, make no mistake, SHE IS BUYING US STUFF no matter what we say. If I don't have a list I will get stuff I don't want even more than not wanting anything so a list must be made (I don't know if that made sense). She is never really very open to just getting gift cards to restaurants or movie theaters or Menard's or Victoria Secrets... there is a red satin teddy that I know I would look great in. How about a stack of poker chips and a plane ticket to Vegas? I really don't want anything! I am one half century old now and, at this point, any "stuff" that I collect will just be more junk my kids will have to deal with when I die. I am fairly certain that day is closer than the anniversary of my birth! If I need something I buy it. I am trying to get rid of stuff. Goodwill loves us!

These racks are everywhere now - for a reason!

I know I keep ragging on this holiday season and I will try to stop. It was great when the kids younger. I am happy for people who still enjoy this stuff and hope you have a happy/merry/joyous/jolly whatever you celebrate. I will rarely try to try to convince someone that their ideals are wrong. Ideas, maybe. Ideals, probably not.

Do you suppose that today being the anniversary of the repeal of alcohol prohibition is a coincidence? What two things are coming up? The day when you have to spend with relatives and the day when you are trying to convince someone that they should spend the night with you because tomorrow is the start of a new year and resolutions. Alcohol comes in very handy this time of year. I guess it helps us stay warm too. Can you even imagine our lives if there was still prohibition? I can think of many good things and bad situations that would occur without alcohol. Those Hang Over films would be much more boring without alcohol in them. I am not a huge drinker. I could not have said that in college but, now I am definitely a social drinker. Working nights I don't really drink much when I get home from work. I have had Cheerios with beer and it just isn't the same. Rice Crispies do still snap, crackle and pop though. Moderation is the key to just about everything in life.

If you are one of the many, many people that I have played and/or have a  Words With Friends going with - I am no longer playing. I am not miffed or angry with anyone... I have just decided that playing that game is a great time-suck to me and I don't have a bunch of that left. If it were more interactive with the people I would probably reconsider but, it really is just the player and the computer. I like the people I play against and, if you want to stop by and play Scrabble and have some wine or a bloody mary or something now that prohibition has been repealed, I would love that. So, I have "resigned" from the games where it was my move and the others I will just let my time expire. Sorry if this causes you displeasure but 'tis the season. Knowing me, as I do, I will be back playing within a week or two.

I have a bunch of stuff to get done before I sleep so I can go freeze my bottom off at work tonight. Thanks a lot for letting me drone-on today. I cannot promise that it won't continue for another 20 days or so. The podcast should be up tomorrow. I am waiting for my co-host to have one free second to do a couple of quick bites with me. She is extremely busy at her paying gig and, it may come down to me just doing the beginnings and the ends alone this one time - we'll see.

TTTT (instead of me being at the awards dinner thingy)... MITM (blog hum blog)

Blog Humbug!

Magda Brown - Nazi Concentration Camp at 17

So, now we have two Dirty Laundry Podcast episodes "in the can" but, I have to find time to get them edited. "In the can" was from back in the days when they used film and reel-to-reel tape instead of digital copies of things. You MIDDLERS and beyond will recall when our parents showed us home movies and they were stored in those metal "cans." Anyway, the show that we recorded yesterday at The Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center does not need much editing but, we have to record the very beginning and the very end. It should not take very long but Cha Cha is very busy with her paying gig and doesn't even have a few moments. I do not feel right doing it without her but if it lasts much longer it may come to that. The other one, that we recorded while on vacation, needs to be fully edited. I want to get the one we did yesterday up first because it is so much better. It will be out of order but I think I owe it to our listeners to put the best pod forward. Once we have the one up the other one will follow withing a couple of days.

The lady we talked to yesterday for the show was so nice and grounded and interesting. She has lived through the worst atrocity in the history of mankind (at the very least the largest mass murder in the history of mankind) and she is still so positive and optimistic. To be taken from your home at 17-years-old and go through the things that she described to us? I will think of her often when I am whining about some stupid little things in my life.

The holiday season is upon us; I really don't care for this time of year. It's mostly about money and greed. I guess the fuse for that bomb is Black Friday these days. It just makes me sad. The week of Christmas every day from December 24th until January 2nd, except for December 28th, is a holiday day for us. Only three people have to work and we can volunteer to work if we want to. If three people don't volunteer the bottom three in seniority have to work. I think I am going to volunteer to work all of the days that are not my "weekend" days (six days). There are people who probably want off and since I am a Scrooge I will go ahead and work. If we work we get paid for the hours we work as well as 7.5 holiday hours for each of those days. So, I will get my pay and I will "bank" the other pay for those six days as "comp" time. It will be like getting paid and getting six more vacation days. I would rather use those days for a vacation over the summer. We have discussed many ideas for a family vacation. So, ironically, my working during the greedy holiday time of the year will earn me some family time during the summer. Even if the retailers want to try to destroy my hopes and memories of Christmas I will make it about family - just in a warmer time of year. I win retailers! Good day retailers! I said good day!

I have bummed myself out so I am gonna put this one in the can. Thanks for stopping by. Have a great rest of your day. TTTT...MITM (out) TA!

Black and White Addition

P.S. (pre script) - I ran out of time to proofread so good luck to you.

We got home last night at about 18:00. Traffic was moving very well and I did not see any State Troopers except for the one at the gas station in LeRoy, Illinois. LeRoy is just west of Farmer City. I wish I were making these town names up. They are between Bloomington and Champaign (a bit closer to Bloomington). I would say that we averaged about 75 mile per hour, hypothetically because, that would be illegal - literary license rules apply to blogs too you know.

It was really odd not having computer access or phone service for a couple of days. It was odd but kind of nice too. We did record Dirty Laundry Podcast while we were down in the sticks. I will probably edit the show right after I get done with this blog. I will do it for a bit and then I have to head to Geneva to pick Jeff up at the kennel. I wonder if he thinks that is his new home? I often wonder what animals think. I guess I wonder things like that because of people like Walt Disney. I also wonder if, when he gets here, he wishes he were back there. He probably got lots of attention there and, they say, that the dogs spend time together. He will probably come back here and be bored out of his mind.

A week I go to Skokie to interview a woman who went to the Auschwitz concentration camp when she was 17-years-old  for the podcast. I have watched Schindler's List for the 96th time and I have read numerous articles and information on the worst mas-murder of all time. I am excited and nervous all at the same time. I don't feel that I am even worthy of speaking with this lady let alone interviewing her.

I am trying to get caught up with all of my Words With Friends games and my emails. What else? I did all of the laundry we generated while we were gone. Before we left we raked the yard and bagged-up all the leaves. We didn't take them to the curb before we left because the garbage dude came in the MIDDLE of the time we were gone.We have one truck that takes recycling, one that takes the non-recyclable refuse and one that takes yard waste. So, the garage was packed with 22 yard bags full of leaves.  I loaded them up in the 4Runner this morning and took them over to the yard-waste dumpsters over by our county buildings. It took two trips but, that is done now too. I also repaired the basketball hoop that was damaged by the winds a couple of weeks ago and that is now fixed and winterized. The weather was very conducive. Speaking of weather - it was nearly 60 when we were down south. Why in the Hell do I remain Matt In The Middle? I should be Matt In The Warmer South.

While we were gone I heard that Paul Walked died in a fiery car crash. Of course, the first thing I thought of was that he was in six Fast and Furious movies. Number seven is in production now and is supposed to be out in 2014. I wonder if his death will change that film coming out?  I am sure there is already millions of dollars tied-up in the film so it will be released. I first remember seeing him in Varsity Blues and Pleasantville. I liked much of his work and he seemed like a nice guy. I just watched Varsity Blues on Netflix not long ago but, I see it's no longer available for streaming.Very sad to see him die so young. I also see that he was in: Charles In Charge, Highway To Heaven, Who's The Boss, and many other shows way back when. I was surprised to hear that he was 40-years-old. His birthday was two days before mine.

I have to find my notes; I took a lot of notes for the blog / podcast while we were gone. I have to end now because it's almost time to leave and get Jeff. I should be able to blog again tomorrow provided I get the podcast done today. Maybe even if I don't get it done.

Thanks a lot for stopping-in. Have a great rest of YOUR Monday and Monnight. TTTT...MITM (out). (All of today's photos were in black and white - just a coincidence but I like it.) TA!