Happy "Artist formerly Known as March 1st Day!"

 It sure as heck better be good 

Happy Leap Day or Leap Year Day or whatever it is really called. I think I will just call it The Artist Formerly Known As March First Day. As the odds play-out I am crabby this morning. I am sure you have read about me griping how I seem to have my time of the month at the end of each month and this is the end of the month. I wonder, if this didn't happen to be a leap year and today were March first would I still be crabby or would it be over already. Women's cycles, supposedly, run roughly their cycles every 28 days I think (which must be because of Leap Years maybe) so why is mine different? Mine seems to go by calendar months - why? Sure, we add an extra Monday rather than an extra Saturday - it should always be an extra weekend day. It would suck to be born today though you would always look good for your age. But, you could not drink alcohol legally in most of America until you were 84-years-old right? You couldn't get a drivers license until you were 64 (so, that's what The Beatles were singing about)?

Last night was the night when wealthy Hollywood people congratulate themselves for doing their jobs. But, they make it a contest to see who did the best job according to the opinions of a few, so called, experts. I did not watch one second of The Academy Awards and, though I know it impossible, I hope to hear nothing about the winners. Cha Cha and I talked about what films we liked on the latest Load of Dirty Laundry Podcast that will probably never air because I am sick of screwing with the editing. We saw five of the eight films nominated and we both agreed that Spotlight was the best film that we saw of the movies nominated. Fortunately, I do not always have to be right anymore so I don't care if we picked the winner but that is what we both would have voted for. I am also tired of all the bickering of wondering why any certain demographic didn't get enough nominees. I am sure that is why Best Supporting Actress and Best Actress had to be separate from the actor categories. Do we have to add Hispanic Actor and Hispanic Actress and African-American Actor and African-American Actress, Asian-American, Heterosexual Male... If so, where do we stop? German-American? English-American? Transgender? I hope that the nominating committee is picking based on the actual performances and nothing else but, I do not know what goes on inside people's heads. I say get rid of awards shows all together or do like they do with young children awards - give everyone who had anything to do with a movie a participation trophy.

 Rest In Pieces 

Yes, as it sits now Dirty Laundry Podcast is kaput. I am so sick of doing the editing and such and things just disappearing. Yes, I realize that it is probably me making the disappearing occur but that is why I am not an engineer. If we could do the show live I would do it forever but, as Cha Cha told me, "then it would be a radio show," I then told her, "then we need to get our own radio show!" I doubt that will happen since radio people and television people are threatened by everyone else just like the people mentioned in that previous paragraph. I may change my mind later but, for now, I am hanging-up my audio editing headphones. It also made me kind of upset when we relaunched and found that there are now like 100 different Dirty Laundry Podcasts. If we do come back we may have to have a different title which would mean different intro music (sorry if that happens Eric Solfisburg) and such...AARRRRGGGGHHH!

Jill and I had a nice weekend. We went to Woodstock, IL (where the movie Groundhog Day, with Bill Murray, was filmed) on Saturday for an undisclosed reason though breakfast was added impromptu and then, as we were getting close to home, a pair of tickets to go to The Second City in Chicago fell into our lap so we went to The Second City in "the city of the big shoulders" to watch the comedy show; it was great. It was funny, we picked-up the tix in a grocery store parking lot like a drug deal is done in the movies. We just took them and jumped on the tollway headed east. Then, after the show, we had a late dinner near the theater. It was an entire date day that started at 08:00 and went until about 22:00 or so. We will continue to do fun things and just not podcast about them? We always have fun.  I will not have blogging dilemmas with worries of over-lap anymore I guess. I am fickle so we may podcast again one day? Ir will be a surprise.

Not doing the show will give me more time to work on my novel. I am pretty excited about that and hope to get it done before humans stop reading altogether (you didn't just say that out-load thinking everyone was going to say it at the same time, did you?).

I hope that we all try every single day (for the common good, of course)

I have a job interview today and I also have to clean a carpet today for the immigrants moving-in on Thursday. They are already in this country but will not be here until then; we are super excited. I suppose they wanted to get here before the 2016 Presidential election in case a forty-foot wall is built on the borders when a new President is elected depending on who is elected. Speaking of the interview I really wish I could go back to where I was working  because I like that job but my doctor will still not release me to work over-nights and that is all that is still available. Oh, bother,

Thank you very much for letting me get out some things that were on my mind; I do feel slightly better having blogged about them. See, you should start a blog too - less expensive than therapy. This is what Anne Frank must have found with her writing too.I hope you have a great day and I am certain I will blog tomorrow even though it is weigh-in day. I only needed to lose one pound to be at 25 pounds lost for the year so far. With my luck I will lose like 0.9 pounds' I have lost some every week and 0.2 was my lowest - I just want one stinking pound off this weeks IS THAT TOO MUCH TO BLOG!? Okay, TTTT...MITM (out) TA!

My Inadequacies (AGAIN)

Why does Commonwealth Edison (our provider of electricity in this house) want us to compare
ourselves with everyone else? About once a month we receive a notice in the mail (separate from our monthly bill) that shows a graph which shows us how much of their energy we purchase from them and the average of all of their customers and the average of our neighbors. Of course, it does not mention any customers individually, rather, just the averages. What a waste of paper and postage and energy (pun intended). Why not save the money that we are paying you to produce those stupid mailers and lower our electricity bill by whatever it costs you to send us those useless mailings? I cannot imagine that they are doing it so we will use less of their product. I want to know what the motive is there? Is it mandated by some agency that controls them? Is it public relations?

I have been editing the new Dirty Laundry Podcast episode (finally) this afternoon. I am half-way done and I believe I, somehow, deleted the second half of the show. I guess it is good that we start strong so the stuff that we I probably lost was not our best stuff of the week. Now, I either just wrap-it-up as a 35 minute show or we record another twenty minutes or so and, probably, the whole show will sound great. I will let Cha Cha weigh-in when she gets home. I would have edited the show earlier but we have a pirate in the home who likes to monopolize the WiFi. The one who contributes zero for the access uses most of it - sounds pretty typical in America.I will not be confident to have live guests again until I get my poop together,

It's almost like professional wrestling (just as phony too)

There is another Republican Party debate tonight. Why does there need to be so many political debates? Shouldn't there just be one long one on CNN or something? Maybe it gives the next President a lot of experience filibustering even though all of the candidates are politicians, in one way or another, and are probably very experienced in that arena. I will not be watching any more debates this year.

Tomorrow I have to go Uber and take my dad about town to his doctor's appointment. In case you were unaware, "Uber" is German for "About." He should be able to drive himself soon but I bet he is getting stir-crazy. He is a guy who is ALWAYS busy and now he is grounded. I am sure we will probably do grocery shopping too but they have enough food to feed a small country most of the time.

Okay, I am gonna go make dinner (giardiniera mini meatloafs again)/ Thanks for stopping-by and for letting get some frustrations off my blog. I hope you have a great night (since it is already 17:17 here. TTTT?...MITM (out) TA!

A Lille Blog-Winded Today (sorry)

 You knew I would investigate didn't you? 

When I woke this morning I turned on the television to listen to while I brushed my teeth... I saw that Dances With Wolves was on so I turned on SundanceTV, formerly known as Sundance Channel. Dances With Wolves is one of my top five films of all time - perhaps even number one. I believe I liked Sundance a lot more when Robert Redford (The Sundance Kid) still owned it. I knew immediately that the the movie was sped-up slightly. I have a knack for sounds and voices (we all have to have at least one talent) and I noticed that all of the characters and the background music... was sped up just a scosh or a smidgen. I instantly knew why this was being done and, when the next commercial came on and the sound for that was not sped-up I knew that the movie was sped-up so they could squeeze an extra commercial or two in every hour of programming. So, I turned the television off; I have the DVD and if I want to watch the film I can do that on my own time without being manipulated. It irritates me that we now pay for television and they still find ways to mess with us. I would prefer product placements into shows like Better Call Saul and other clever shows that have been doing that lately. A lot of shows are doing that now and, as long as it doesn't take away from the story line, I am fine with that. In fact, I think it is pretty clever. I imagine there are people that are bothered by it though.

I have spent most of the morning, so far, looking for a new job. I have one interview set for Monday and I hope to have several others set-up by tomorrow. I like my current job but I CANNOT work the graveyard shift any longer. They call it the graveyard shift because it will, eventually, kill you. My doctor told me that he will not release me to work overnights because it would, literally. probably kill me. We all have to die of something but I want to die a more dramatic death than having my headstone read: "Here lies Matt Helser. He died because he worked the aptly-named graveyard shift!" I would prefer a shark attack or saving baby penguins from a polar bear or rushing into a fire to help a family escape... I have lived long enough but I don't want to go out like a marshmallow (though getting roasted like the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man having the proton pack streams crossed would be memorable). I will find something soon but it has to be more than I am getting paid from my medical leave checks or that makes no sense either. Life is always interesting for all of us in one way or another.

Is that enough shrimp and lobster claws or what?

I am going to finally edit the new Load of Dirty Laundry Podcast this afternoon. Yesterday was kind of  hectic and this afternoon seems like it is doable. One of the things that took part of my day yesterday was going to weigh-in, I lost another 2.0 pounds this past week. After my lowest weight-loss week the previous week (0.2) I kind of thought my body was fighting back and trying to stay fat; I was happy that it was just a speed bump. That makes 24 pounds lost this year so far. If I keep this rate up I should be almost invisible by December. It should at least mean being down 100, optimistically, by the time we go to Las Vegas. Skinnier is better in the desert even if it is a dry heat. Then I can gain some back with the free drinks while gambling and the biggest buffets in the world. Maybe I will find some homeless people out there and treat them to some all-they-can eat.

I just heard that there have been some heavy snowstorms that came through parts of the MIDDLEwest today. Midway and O'Hare airports had to cancel more than 1,000 flights. The snow went all the way down to central Illinois but my part of the MIDDLEwest has nothing. We can still see the grass. I suppose it is lake-effect snow. It must be colder because Jeff's muddy paws that I have showered-off every night for the last three are still clean. I know the thaw will come and I will be washin' paws some more but I like the break.

I am so tired of all of this waste-of-time campaigning and debating in the Presidential candidate race. How much money is just wasted on all of this nonsense before the final nonsense begins? Everyone already pretty much knows who they are going to vote for though I am down-to two candidates. I will say that primaries have changed which of the two I am down-to is on top; they have flip-flopped.

I visited our new public library (expansion) yesterday for the first time since it re-opened. I will say that the building is very impressive but I think they just have the same books from the old library (before the expansion) that was half the size of this much larger building. I suppose they will get more books eventually. There are a lot of computers where people can access the internet now. That is very nice for people who do not have access to the internet elsewhere for one reason or another. I checked-out five books but one was not in the system at the self-checkout. I went to the person at the desk and I was told that this book was not in the system so, "just take it and bring it back or not because it must not have been needed and they will just sell it at an up-coming sale." I told him that I will bring it back but I thought it would make their shelves fuller to add books like this back into the system when they come to light. I cannot even run my own life and I want to run the library now? But, if nobody ever checks these books out maybe they just get rid of them. However, I was checking it out so, apparently, at least one community member wants to read it. Maybe the book sales help them to buy newer. most popular books.

I started writing about a person that has been in the media (not political) A LOT lately. I will not mention this person's name because I don't want to add to the exposure of this nutcase. Today I saw that she/he freaked-out AGAIN and is apologizing for it. So there is exposure from the freak-out and then exposure from the freak-out apology? I have never found this person talented anyway so I hope that dim star burns-out very soon - for good.

He looks good in that robe

There is talk that President Obama may nominate Sri Srinivasan to replace Justice Antonin Scallia on The Supreme Court. Srinivasan sounds like a very good nominee. He was born in India and migrated to the USA with his family in the 1960's. He graduated from Stanford, lectured at Harvard. The Republican Party has announced that they will not vote on any person President Obama nominates. Additionally, Srinivasan clerked for former justice Sandra Day O'Connor (a Republican) and Ted Cruz, at his 2013 Senate confirmation, called Srinivasan an "old friend." But, politics are politics and I imagine they will not confirm him as the new justice because they will want to look foolish just for politics' sake. I cannot stand politics and this further reminds me why. Maybe the Senate will surprise me but I really doubt that.

Okay, I have to get started on editing the show. Thanks a lot for stopping by again today. I hope the snow misses you and I because I am rather enjoying this unusually mild winter. I hope you have a great rest of your day and your night. I will, most likely, blog again tomorrow. TTTT...MITM (out)! TA!

You'll Blog Your Eye Out!

Today is National Mattgarita Margarita Day. I cannot see why February 22nd is the day they chose. I even went to www.nationalmargaritaday.com and still do not know why 2/22 is the day. Based on the "sponsors:" Pura Vida tequila, Margarita Man margarita mix, Margarita Man margarita machine, Margarita Clip which allows you to clip a beer upside-down in your margarita to make a beerarita (originally a Coronita using Corona beer) and On The Border Mexican Grill and Cantinait is really just like Ovaltine in A Christmas Story. You'd think that Jimmy Buffett would get involved? I used to do a weekly radio show on Jimmy Buffett's Radio Margaritaville for a couple of years called The Mattgarita Happy Hour: why wasn't I smart enough to capitalize on a National Margarita Day? Margaritas used to be my drink of choice but now I am mainly a water guy with occasional iced tea (unsweet for you in the south).

That reminds me - we recorded the new load of Dirty Laundry Podcast yesterday but I cannot edit and upload the show today for technical reasons. I should be able to edit the show tomorrow and have it up Tuesday or Wednesday. We have another new musical guest on this new show. He is the guy who opened-up for Creedence Clearwater on Saturday night. I am sure you saw the many videos I posted on my personal Facebook page; I admit that I got a bit carried away. What happened to the days when we couldn't take photos or videos during live performances? There were so many people recording on their phones you would have thought The Beatles were back together expect a couple of them are dead. I guess that is why The Beatles didn't let the invention of the cell phone with built-in photo and video cameras be invented back in the 1960's. Well played Ringo, Paul, George and John. I put Ringo first because everybody else always puts him last. He was the back beat of the group and always had to sit in the back and almost always gets final billing. I've got your back Richard Starkey!

 I wonder if I can get funding as an educational blog now? 

After the Creedence concert Cha Cha and I bought tickets to see John Fogherty in Las Vegas in the late summer. Who doesn't love to visit the Mojave Desert in the summer? We will be there about a week before the summer solstice just before the equinox so, other than being in the desert it should be great. Jill has never been to Vegas. I have been there several times on business; I am really looking forward to her seeing the bright light city; I think it will set her soul on fire. That makes me think about how excited and happy she was seeing Creedence on Saturday. She had worked so hard for her work's sales convention just before that and she really needed a fun night out to leave that all behind her. In fact, had she not had her sales meeting just before the concert we never even would have known about the CCR concert. We drove by the Arcada Theater (where Creedence played) and we saw the info on the marquee. We also spent the night at the hotel right across the river (we walked) where we had our wedding reception back in 1988; Hotel Baker or The Baker Hotel.

If this is your driver (taxi, limo, car service...) maybe wait for the next one?

I have a very good friend who is an Uber driver as a second job and I have thought about doing the same after talking to him. Splenda uses Uber on a regular basis and has only great things to say about them. I wonder how the incident with the Uber driver in Kalamazoo, Michigan shooting and killing six (suspected) random people in Kalamazoo, Michigan yesterday? I know the company does background checks on their drivers and I also know that background checks cannot always predict (probably rarely can predict) if and when someone might snap in the future. The damning thing that I heard was that one of the riders earlier in the evening called Uber and reported that this driver had behaved erratically: driving through medians, speeding, driving through lawns... He said the driver also had his dog with him when he was driving. The rider/caller also told Uber that when the driver came to a stop he (the rider) just got out and ran away. Didn't David Berkowitz (Son of Sam) say that his neighbor's dog was one of the reasons he killed people? The dog supposedly told David that he "needed blood from pretty young girls." Not to make light of that but I had Jeff with me in the JEEP when I went to pick-up Potillo's food last night. Other than liking AC/DC a great deal Jeff is not out for blood. Incidentally, I just had the chopped salad with no pasta, no cheese and no bacon.

I cannot believe that it is already almost 17:00. I think I will end now. I am sorry I wrote about a few bummer things today (I guess just the one as I looked back). I may blog tomorrow depending on how the editing of the show goes; I may even start editing tonight when the equipment I need arrives.Thanks, so much, for stopping by today; I am always happy that you do. Have a great evening or whatever time it is where you are. TTTT (most likely)...MITM (out) TA!

I'll Write a Blog You Can't Refuse

Makes sense it was on April first since it was FOOLISH (at the least)

Yesterday was the anniversary of one of the most disgraceful times in our country's history (we have had many as have had several countries). It was the anniversary (from 1942) of President Franklin Roosevelt signing and issuing Executive Order 9066 which authorized the Secretary of War to allocated certain areas as military zones providing the "evacuation" of Japanese Americans to Internment Camps. Over 120,000 men, women, and children were relocated from the West Coast to these Concentration Camps (I think they can be called but that was already being used by another hateful group) throughout The U.S.. It wasn't until the Emancipation Proclamation - no wait that is a different time when we didn't like people here and abused them just because they looked differently and thought differently than the "majority" that were mostly descended from immigrants themselves. I, for one, love the diversity of the U. S. and A. and I believe that is one of the things that makes this country so special. I know there are still many people who believe quite differently than I do and, sadly, many of them call themselves good Christians. If Jesus were alive during any of these horrific times I believe he would have been opposed to these acts of abuse and murder and hatred as well as many other atrocities that have occurred since his death. Ironically, Jesus was murdered because he thought differently than others and the way he lived his life was not the way most others lived. Now we hear all of the rhetoric about sending immigrants "back to where they came from" and not letting them into our country. Where did your people come from? Where did my people come from? I am told that my family has Native American lineage attached to my DNA but I also, supposedly, have German DNA and Irish DNA and Bohemian DNA and probably many other DNA make-up in me. I think my family would have been locked-up during World War II if German people could easily have been recognized as looking different than others. History is supposed to teach us and help us grow but the current political campaign stumping makes me worry that we are slipping backwards philosophically and humanistically (if that is a word). I am going to stop here because if I keep going into the Equal Rights Act (ERA) and how women, who look different from the Founding FATHERS (not  founding MOTHERS), kept them down for far longer. I agree that the white man has been most of the problem with the strife in the World since the beginning and, if it makes a difference, I apologize for that.

"Consigliere just like old times" (Tom Hagen to Domonic Corleone)

Man, that last really long paragraph took a lot out of me. I guess I despise racism and sexism even more than I knew so I had better find a rosier topic.

My Consigliere, Eddie Z, has affirmed my thoughts about not responding to that message I wrote about here a few days ago from USC regarding taking the survey about this blog. Ed has "directed" me off-and-on (when called-upon with an offer that he cannot refuse) since I was a youngster and it seems appropriate that I accept his council these many years later. It is also easy to accept someone's advise when they agree with, and affirm, one's own thoughts. We all like to hear that we are correct though I hear it very rarely because many people are wrong most of the time (as am I). Thanks for reading the blog and for weighing-in Ed!

Tonight Jill and I are going to see CCR in concert. I also think that we will record another Load of Dirty Laundry Podcast tomorrow. I am looking forward to both the podcast and the concert tonight. I may have to take a nap this afternoon just to harness all of my excitement. But, just like waiting for Santa to arrive on Christmas Eve, I would probably not be able to sleep.

I just started wondering if the next U.S. President could decide to try to stop a woman from being on the new U.S. $10 bills in 2020? I would not put that past some of the people currently running for President. That would be a travesty in my opinion and, there I go thinking and borrowing trouble again. I also heard that there are people that are saying we should get rid of the $100 bill because that would make it more difficult for drug traffickers and the like to store their pallets of money because they would have to have larger areas to store more skids of smaller denominations which would make them stop trafficking drugs. That is ridiculous. I am sure they would just switch to debit cards or bitcoins if they haven't already done that. I know they prefer cash for the lack of a paper-trail but I imagine they are way ahead on those trivial things by now.

Bitcoins take up very little space!

I need to get going. I am hungry and, ironically, if you don't eat you cannot continue to lose weight. That does not make sense to me and, yet, that makes perfect sense to me. If your body slows down and stores food because it thinks it is starving you cannot keep dropping the LBs. Stupid body and brain! I hope to get a run in before we go to the concert tonight too. Thanks a lot for stopping by and enjoy the 50+ degree temperature here in the MIDDLEwest today if you live here in the MIDDLE. TTTM (probably/maybe) since we will be recording the show tomorrow. Also, don't worry if I don't blog until Tuesday because Monday will be Dirty Laundry editing and posting day - hobbies are never completely free are they? TA!

Oh Bother, It is a Blustery Day!

Yukon Cornelius had wheels on his sled today though

It is February 19th and it is 52 degrees Fahrenheit in this part of Illinois. The only snow anywhere is the areas that the plows made ten-foot high mountains from the last snow we got when my brother brought it here from Hawaii last week. There are streams, however, running from these hills. I am glad my brother took the snow back with him when he left. They pretend that they have white sand beaches in Hawaii but I am fairly certain I now know the truth. It is warm snow though, as I recall, from when we visited.

Some of the neighbors here have received some home damage from the high winds today. A house a few down from ours on the other side of the sac had some soffit and facia torn off of their house. And, of course, today is our refuse pick-up day so our wheeled garbage bins were out on the curb (and emptied already, thank goodness) when the winds came. I put our regular bin and our recycle bin in our garage so we would not lose them. I will move them back outside if the winds ever die down again. We had our neighbor across the street's (Lisa and Brian) regular bin in our driveway. I did not know whose it was and the neighbor who lives next to them told me it was theirs so I rolled it across the sac and put it next to their house up by the garage so it would not blow away. I may put our address on ours in case this happens again and our's are taken away by a twister or something. But, if they cause damage are we responsible for that damage? Hmmmm. I always want to borrow trouble; not own it - just borrow it.

I was greatly saddened that Nelle Harper Lee (Harper Lee). She wrote one of my favorite books of all time, To Kill a Mockingbird (the early version was originally entitled Go Set A Watchman which did get published in . The movie is fantastic as well. Supposedly, the character Scout in that book is based on her. Dill was based on childhood friend and summer  next door neighbor Truman Capote - another of my favorite writers of all time ( my fave of his is In Cold Blood). Atticus, of course, was based on her real-life father who was a lawyer that defended two black men who were accused and tried for murder. They were found guilty and mutilated and hanged. After that her father never tired another case. Who would have thought that two young black men couldn't get a fair trial in Alabama in 1919? Did your hand shoot up as quickly as mine?

It looks like, barring no more unscheduled emergencies, Cha Cha and I will record the next Load of  Dirty Laundry Podcast   on Sunday. If all goes as planned, I will edit the show on Monday and have it uploaded on Monday or Tuesday at the latest. We have lots to talk about and we are trying to keep the show at an hour or less. I still have not decided if I will take that USC blog survey and we may talk about that as well. The academy Awards are not until February 28th so, I am guessing, we will talk about the four or five up for Best Picture we saw and maybe make some predictions? That sounds like something we would do. If you have anything you think we should talk about let me or Cha Cha know tonight or tomorrow. I suppose we will talk about seeing Creedence too. We sound so much more fun than we really are though we are semi-fun most some of the time.

Jill just came into the Tiki Room and we are now watching a Netflix original animate series called F is for Family. It has been on for about two minutes and I have laughed ten times already. It is definitely an adult show. I should probably end now so I can watch this show as there is supposed to be a test at the end of the show. I will probably not blog tomorrow though the CCR show is not until tomorrow night so, there is a blog possibility. Thank you for stopping by. I hope you are anchored-in and hunkered-down if you're in this MIDDLE part of the Mid-windwest. TTTT or Sunday or Monday... MITM (out) Hey, an old lady on a bicycle just flew past the window. TA!

Learnin' About Cuba and Writing a Blog

Mine was sans cheese and 'shrooms

This morning I took my parents to my mom's doctor's appointment (my dad is not allowed to drive Meijer to do their grocery shopping. When we were done there they took me to breakfast; technically, I guess I took them since I drove but it was their idea and they insisted on paying. They wanted to go to IHOP (International House Of Portliness Pancakes) and I complied. I figured that I could find something on the menu that would be semi-healthy and not too fattening. I found ONE thing that sort-of fit into my new way of eating. They have an egg white omelette with a side of fruit. Of course, I had the omelette with no cheese because that is where many of the calories in an omelette come from and I also had no mushrooms because I try not to eat fungus voluntarily when possible. Anyway, I had a SIMPLE & FIT egg white omelette with spinach and tomatoes. It was pretty good once I covered it in black pepper. After that we went back to their house and I fed the outside birds and squirrels.
again quite yet after his triple-bypass surgery though he is doing remarkably well - he is truly amazing). After the doctor's appointment we went to

Then, the highlight of my day happened. I got a text from Cha Cha that I could go pick her up from her sales conference. The world is right again now that I got my baby back, baby back, baby back (I bet you didn't just read that without doing the Chili's baby back ribs song did you?

If I'm here and you're here doesn't that make it OUR time?!

Just before I started writing today's blog I checked my emails and I received an email from a fella named Christopher Wienberg from USC (University of Southern California). It seemed legit so I did not mark it as spam and, rather, I opened it. Christopher says he is a PH.D. student and he is "researching the personal experiences people write on the web about their everyday lives and your (meaning me in this case) blog came to my attention. I am interested in how the thoughts and experiences written by people like you on weblogs and other social media can be used to make conclusions about society as a whole. I am contacting you because I am trying to collect reliable data about bloggers' opinions, experiences, and characteristics in order to refine and evaluate my analyses." Of course, I am intrigued and curious. How did my blog "come to (his) attention?" Curiosity killed the Matt. they say. but I was a journalist for a many years (newspapers, magazines, sidewalks...) and I love writing and discovering new things (perhaps because I am just nosy?). Anyway, he wants me to take part in an online survey (he provided the link). He gave me his phone number and his email address and his PH.D. Advisor's (Dr. Andrew Gordon) email address. Of course, I went to USC's website and saw a photo of Dr. Andrew S. Gordon who is a "Research Associate Professor of Computer Science and Director of Interactive Research at the Institute for Creative Technologies." That is a $20 handle if I have ever heard one. Dr. Gordon received his Ph.D. from Northwestern in 1999. Hmmmm... What harm could there be in taking part in a 15-minute survey? I could have been done with the survey by now if I didn't always over-think everything. Maybe it is really a covert survey about people who post things on the internet without proofreading or researching whatever comes off of their fingers? Maybe I am part of the placebo survey? Maybe Christopher is just trying to see how many morons will mention him in their blogs. If that is the case he got at least one - ME! What do you think? I am leaning toward doing it as I am a helpful cuss and I could use some Cali exposure. My brother was just in L.A. yesterday on his way to his home in Hawaii; is that a sign? Is it a clue? I will over-think this on my own time when I am done writing today's blog.

Writing that last paragraphs and posting that Fast Times at Ridgemont High made me think of "learnin' about Cuba and having some food" which made me think about President Obama going to head to Cuba. I think that is awesome! The last sitting U.S. President to go to Cuba was Calvin Coolidge in 1928; that was the only country Coolidge visited while he was President. Jimmy Carter visited Cuba in 2011 on behalf of The Carter Center for those of you keeping score at home. Cuba is only 90 miles from Florida and we have not had a sitting President there in almost nine decades? We have been like the Hatfields and the McCoys for far too long. I remember being at the "southern most point" in Key West several years ago and thinking how sad it was that we couldn't go to Cuba; they have some might really good rum and cigars down there. Man, I enjoyed Key West (there he goes off blogging on a tangent again). Truth be blogged - I had a Cuban cigar while in Europe last year so, I suppose in a small way, you can thank me now for some of the embargoes that will probably be lifted soon.

Okay. I wrote notes about what to write but I guess I wasted my time because I didn't use my notes. I guess I have a head-start on tomorrow's blog then, huh? Thanks a lot for stopping-by today. Let me know what you think about the USC thing. A scam or should I roll the dice and see what's what? You are like my consigliere (is there a surprise that the word "lie" is buried in consigliere)? Also, can you tell that I watched The Godfather Epic over the last few days?  I hope you are enjoying the unseasonably nice weather in the MIDDLEwest if you are stuck in the MIDDLE with me. Have a great rest of your day and TTTT...MITM (out) TA!

I Sure Know How to Work Myself Up

Is this the sign out front pointing to their office?

I just sent off my union dues this morning. Is it a coincidence that the Metropolitan Alliance of Police headquarters office is located on Remington Boulevard? I suppose that comes off of Winchester Lane and Colt Avenue inside of Smith & Wesson Industrial Park in Glocktown, Rugerinois.

I just got back from O'Hare International Airport after dropping my brother off to fly home. He had the nerve to complain that he had a MIDDLE seat on the flight to Los Angeles. I am not sure what seat he will have on the plane from L.A. to Hawaii but I would sit in the baggage compartment where is is zub-zero to leave Illinois in the winter to fly to Hawaii.

Cha Cha and I are going to see Creedence Clearwater Revival Revisited on Saturday. It will be great for her since she has been working 20 hours a day for the past month or so. The band still has some of the original members: Doug "Cosmo" Clifford (drums) and Stu Cook (bass guitar and back-up vocals). I guess that is half of the original members; they are just missing the Fogherty boys (Tom and John). Tom died of AIDS from a tuberculosis infection in 1990. Who knows? Maybe John will be in the area and just surprise us and show up. But, since he refused to perform with the surviving members of the band at their induction into The Rock and Roll Hall-of-Fame it would be an Earth-shaking event if he showed-up this weekend. I am not sure who the other members will be on Saturday but that have had people like: Elliot Easton from The Cars and and Tal Morris from Huey Lewis and the News, Kurt Griffey from World Class Rockers...  So, it is not quite a tribute band since it has half of the original members in it I suppose? Either way, we like CCR's music and are really looking forward to the show. I was always saddened that they had their songs pretty much stolen from them by their record company; the love of money is the root of all evil in pretty much every facet of the American way - especially in the entertainment world.

Maybe it's time for another Band Aid or USA For Africa 

Speaking of music - I did not watch the Grammy Awards. These types of shows: Grammy's. Emmy's, Academy Awards, all-star games and the like are just more fuel for these already inflated egos. Most of these people don;t have any concept of what the other 80% of us go through each and every day. Why should we honor and pay tribute to people who are already living extraordinary lives? I just think it is ridiculous. I like to watch their movies and hear their songs and see their television shows and read their books but why should they be treated better than anybody else? I do respect the people who make it big and help the less fortunate of the world. People like: J.K. Rowling, Crad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Morgan Freeman, Madonna, Ellen DeGeneres, Beyonce', Mel Gibson, Matt Damon, Jamie Gertz, George Lucas, Will Smith, Herb Alpert, Jada Pinkett Smith, Taylor Swift, Sandra Bullock, Elton John, Bono, Susan Sarandon, Michael J. Fox, Paul McCartney, George Clooney, Willie Nelson, Oprah, Matthew McConaughey, Tom Hanks, Ben and Jerry, Gary Sinise... These are the ones I can think of immediately and I am sure there are many more and, perhaps, I am misinformed on some of them. These are the ones appear that way to me and come immediately to mind. Some may just do it so I mention them in the blog but, no MATTer what the reason, they help people who need help.

Yes, I am a bleeding heart and a liberal. They don't always go hand-in-hand but I am proudly guilty of both.

Maybe you should keep your dreams to yourself and in-check like the rest of us?!

Speaking of Charity and helping others - Kanye West was on Saturday Night Live this past Saturday (guest host Melissa McCarthy - very funny) and now there is a Go Fund Me account to try to help Kanye get out of debt. He Tweeted Mark Zuckerburg (Facebook founder) asking him for financial help. I guess Zuckerburg is the right guy to go to when you're $53.000,000 in debt but Zuckerberg has not responded (nor should he). It would have been smarter to use Zuckerberg's Facebook rather than Twitter to beg for money; what a rookie mistake.

I have preached to the choir enough for today; I will get down off of my pulpit. Thank you for reading the word according to Matt In The Middle today. Oh, I forgot - yesterday I weighed-in and I only lost .2 pounds (that is "point two") this week. That is my lowest loss since I started in late December but it is better than gaining. I predict a big drop over this next week. Have a great rest of you day and night. I think I will blog again tomorrow after Matt's Taxi Service takes my mom to her doctor's appointment tomorrow. I think I also get Cha Cha back tomorrow night (when I pick her up) TTTT(hopefully)...MITM (out) TA!

Politics, Religion and Guns, Oh My!

Happy Great Emancipator Day! Abraham Lincoln, to me, is one of the greatest, actually, the greatest, American Presidents of all time and that is not just because I live in The Land of Lincoln (Illinois). Yes, my favorite President of all time was a Republican but I get the business all the time for stating my opinion about Republicans. He must be a lot of people's favorite because he is on: the penny, the $5 bill and Mount Rushmore to name a few. I do not consider myself a Democrat or a Republican; I call myself an American and I take a man and woman and all beings at their words (and actions) and weigh their views on certain topics separately and make decisions based on those ideals. My greatest problem is that I think too much when I shovel snow and then I feel I have to blog about this stuff so I can let it go. There are two topics that I tend to get in trouble on because I KNOW the people who are on the other side are wrong just as they KNOW that I am wrong. But, they are wrong about me being wrong so, they are wrong about more things. I am not always right, and I know that too, but I am always right on these two topics. My father and I have polar opposite political views and I just let him be wrong and I still love him and will and would do anything for him. I listen quietly and just let it go. Being different is what America is partially about and it is one of our inalienable rights ("the right to practice religion, equal protection of laws and the freedom of blog speech").

Fun fact - President Franklin Pierce (U.S. Prez #14 - two before Lincoln) did not place his hand on The Bible when taking his oath of office. He placed his hand on a law book instead.

I have another strong opinion about something that is not quite as controversial if you didn't stop reading after I, possibly, offended you in that first paragraph. I think blacktop/asphalt driveways are better than concrete driveways. When I was looking out for my parents last week I shoveled their driveway the day it snowed. They have a concrete driveway and many of the areas have heaved so, as I would get to a control joint (those little joints between the squares that are supposed to take the cracks so the flat-work itself doesn't crack) and, occasionally, some of the concrete would be higher than other parts and the shovel would be stopped in its snow-tracks. We have an asphalt driveway up in this hizzie and the only problem where I had any issues like this was on the service walk (the concrete sidewalk leading from the asphalt driveway to the front door) and the city walk (the sidewalk that that runs in front each house, which is concrete) that crosses our asphalted driveway. I am sure concrete was the way everything began because of racist reasons but BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL and BLACK DON'T CRACK!  Okay, it cracks but it doesn't heave like white/beige concrete does.

Perhaps I am Cha Cha's cross to bear?

Cha Cha thought she would have been done working on the stuff for her national sales meeting last night by 17:30 but, here it is 10:00 the next morning and she is still working on the video presentations and introductions and sales tools and whatever she is putting-together to make other people look good. She is one of the hardest working, most conscientious people I have ever known. I am so fortunate that she was willing to marry below her station in life. She has made me a better person too and I know that it has not been easy and she still needs to give me some tune-ups here-and-there from time-to-time. I will always be a work in progress.

It is funny that, being a member of the MTV generation or Gen-X or whatever the Hell label they want to put on me I am skeptical of just about anything the media and politicians tell us. I am convinced that everything we are told by, so-called, experts is meant to scare us or get our money... The latest thing that I heard is that the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) is warning that ISIS/ISIL (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) will try to attack the United States. That's news or a surprise So, should I buy a heat-seeking missile launcher? Should I not leave my house? Should I start digging for a bomb shelter in my back yard (concrete, not asphalt on that one)? I am always vigilant in public. I am aware of my surroundings, I know where exits and escape routes are, I always have a loaded TEC-DC9 with a 32-round magazine and several extra clips on my person (okay, that one is a lie as I do not always have extra clips with me). I really do watch people and suspect anybody of anything but that probably comes from my work training. No, actually I have always been like that from watching cop shows and war movies and such I suppose. I have a pretty active imagination and most the activity involves threats and defending myself and others.

Man, did I ramble-on and aggravate some people today or what? I should end now while I am behind. I appreciate you stopping-in and letting me wax moronic or poetic depending on your point-of-view. I think I am going to go have a salad as I do every single day of my life at least once a day but many times three times a day. Yesterday, since it was Valentine's Day and Jill and I went out to eat, I also had grilled salmon along with some steamed broccoli and the salad bar. I really know how to live don't I? Enjoy the rest of your Honest Abe Day and stay warm. TTTT...MITM (out) TA!

In 1776 I Would Already Have Been Dead for Six Years!

Photographic statistics show that 3 out of 4 U.S. Presidents were not morons

Can you believe I am blogging for the third day in a row? Me neither!

I will so happy when this Presidential election is over. All we hear is how this candidate is terrible and this candidate is the only one who knows what's going on... I believe that 80% (truth be blogged I pulled that number out of thin air like politicians do their figures) of the things that most politicians say are made-up or fudged or inflated or deflated. I do not consider myself a supporter of one political party over another as I have voted for candidates on both sides of the aisle as they say. I think the last Republican I voted for who became President, however, was Abraham Lincoln.  I never regretted that vote. Actually I voted for George H.W. Bush and. most likely, Ronald Reagan. It is  odd to think  that I have only been old enough to vote for five Presidents so far. I suppose that is untrue since some of those Presidents (Reagan, H.W., Clinton, H.W. and Obama were reelected). I am proud to say that I never voted for W even once. I would definitely say that I lean left a bit more than I do to the right since I only have half of a big toe on my left foot these days. I am pretty sure I know who I am voting for in November and I will just let you know that I do not vote based on age either (though everyone I have ever voted for has been over 35 years of age when I voted for them). Why does our President have to be at least 35 years old? I wonder how they arrived at that number. In 1776 the life expectancy was 47.3 years old; at 35 you were a geezer. I bet Ben Franklin was only 20 when he looked 80. The life expectancy in 2016 in the U.S. and A. is 79 years old. In 1776 I would have already been dead and gone for six years and now, with the current averages, I have another 26 years to go. Some days I wish it was 1776 again. If I move to Monaco I would live another ten-and-a-half years beyond my 26 years projected here.

Speaking of age my legs are really feeling the muscle bern today after running yesterday. I am not sure that the sprints were just a good idea. It is the good kind of ache, however, and it is mainly in my right Vastus Medialus. They say "no pain no gain" but this is not pain it is just ache. I am trying to think of a phrase for that. No ache no beefcake? No sore no glor (as in glory)? No twinge no binge? No ouch more pouch? I like a few of these so I will start printing some t-shirts and see what phrase gets the best feedback. In the meantime I will consider, since they are in writing here, that they are trademarked and copy-written and patented... Sorry NIKE but I am willing to talk with your people on licensing.

That is precisely the look I get when I see her on anything (even now)

Am I the only person on the world who does not like Kristen Wiig? I cannot watch anything she is on (yes, I said ON the world). If I see her I will immediately turn WHATEVER it is off. Just wondering it is just me or other person have Wiigaphobia too. I guess it is not actually a phobia it is more like a Wiigimosity. What is the opposite of a fan club because I may start one of those. Not really, I am too lazy to do that. I would rather just complain and moan and groan about things in a blog.

Cha Cha is up in her office working on videos and such for the sales meeting. I will be happy for her when the meeting begins and she can rest. I guess after the meeting is over is when she can rest really.

Tomorrow is St. Valentine's Day and Jill and I may go out for a salad or some grilled chicken or grilled fish. When eating at restaurants I still eat healthy these days and we don't get appetizers. And they say eating healthy is more expensive! It makes even more sense to eat healthy on St. Valentine's Day I think since being unhealthy is harder on your heart. That would be a good way to promote St. Valentine's Day but the restaurants and candy makers who put their chocolates in the cleverly marketed heart-shaped boxes to show how being fat can cause heart attacks and diabetes and such don't really care about us. They care about their stock prices and making their corporate investors happy; that's their true love. Man, I am sure cynical today aren't I?

I should stop and try to be in a better mood the next time I blog. I hope you have a great weekend and a wonderful Valentine's Day if I don't blog tomorrow (I will probably not blog then). Thank you for stopping by and letting me rant and complain; I really do appreciate you letting me get things off of my fingers. I heart you for that. Stay warm and thanks again for stopping by. TTTT (maybe) but Monday more likely...MITM (out)  HAPPY V.D. - TA!

My Day of Public Service

I have no idea how long it has been since I blogged two days in a row until today. I could scroll down and find out the answer to that puzzle but it isn't really that important. It is wonderful to be back home (mainly because it means that my dad is at his home too and doing well). I am still so tired from not getting enough sleep over the past couple of weeks. I slept very well the night I came home (Wednesday, I think) and then, yesterday, I fell asleep for... I am not sure how long but for... at least an hour. Last night I slept like a baby again (minus the waking every hour crying and wanting to be fed). I believe this is why I was having the passing-out issues last year; I do not believe they were seizures as doctors diagnosed. I believe I was sleep deprived and was having narcolepsy attacks.

I had to stop writing because my dad just called. Everything is going well and he just wanted to update me and let me know when his doctor's appointments are. My brother is there until Wednesday so I am back on-deck for his dad's Thursday appointment next week and all thereafter until he is cleared to drive himself. That will probably not be for a month or two. Marc and mom are out shopping now so we could speak candidly about all of the things going on over there. I will have to get over there again before next Wednesday so I can see my brother before he heads back to Hawaii.

I'll just rub some dirt on it

This morning I was able to hoof three miles. I wanted to do more but my right foot (pinky toe to be more precise) began to hurt a bit. My left foot hurt by the base of my stub but that is expected every time I walk a lot or run and I always just push through that discomfort. Of the total three miles I did I sprinted off-and-on for about 1/3rd of that three miles. I broke the sprints up into five or six separate bursts to get my heart-rate elevated and then let it slow back down again before I cranked it up again. Kind of like revving my engine/throttle I suppose. I will probably ride the stationary bike in the basement this evening for five or six miles and finish watching the DVD that I have been watching the last couple of times I was working-out down there. I hope I can keep this motivation level up for... forever I guess.

Jill has been working her butt off for the past week. Her company is having their national sales meeting next week and, it appears, that she is producing almost all of the videos (from beginning to end) for the entire convention. Sometimes it seems to suck to be as talented as she is; I am happy to be Matt In The Middle most of the time. I feel so sorry for her; she is going to "have seizures" like I did if this keeps-up. Fortunately, she has light at the end of the tunnel but the light is still about one-quarter of the way lit until she reaches full sunshine. It sounds like she is playing a big part in introducing (or producing the introduction for...) the President or CEO or CFO or whatever he is; I know his name but I am not exactly sure what title he holds. Jill showed me a few of the videos that she has produced and I don't think you'd see any better productions and/or graphic on any news show or political debate or Superbowl or anything else in the media. She is uber-talented! I am very proud of her and fortunate to be hitched to her buggy.

I wish I could have included this handy photo to demonstrate

Though, as I mentioned here yesterday I think, I am working on some of my internal issues I did have a little hiccup/set-back today. One of my pet peeves that I am trying to overlook is I really do not like when people do not use their turn signals. Today, while doing some grocery shopping after my work-out, I was following a car that did not use turn signals, neither right nor left, for at least three of four miles when he should have used them no less than eight times. I am glad I did not have my citation book with me because I probably would have written a ticket which would have been a waste of time anyway. So, we ended-up going to the same place and I parked. I wrote a note and put on his windshield under the driver side. It read, "I just thought I would let you know that your turn signals seem to be malfunctioning. Either that or you are unaware of how to use them. There is a little lever behind your steering wheel on the left hand side. Push it down to illuminate the left turn signal and push it up to utilize the right indicator light. Hope this helps." I was able to let it go after that and was happy that he can now get his turn signals fixed before he cause an accident. We need smart, considerate people like this as members of our society.

I have lots more on my mind and in the notes I took earlier today but that will give me something to write about tomorrow. I doubt that we will record a new load of Dirty Laundry Podcast this weekend because Cha Cha will be working all weekend on the sales convention and, if she does get everything done she will need to get some well-deserved shut-eye. I know I keep dangling that fish out there but life does get in the way of our hobbies now and again doesn't it?

Thank you so much for stopping by; I really appreciate you and the opportunity to get stuff off my mind now-and-again. Have a great rest of your day and I am fairly certain I can blog tomorrow (Valentine's Day Eve). TTTT (87%)...MITH (out) TA!

...Then It's Time To Change!

When it's time to change then it's time to change (you've got to rearrange)

It is such an odd feeling to be home again. I came home yesterday afternoon after my brother had arrived from Hawaii to cover my shift for the next week. Since dad is home now the only things he will really need to do is take him to his appointments. Many times, however, nurses are coming to visit him. I will probably drive over every other day and see how dad is doing. I cannot believe how well he has been recovering from such a major ordeal (triple by-pass surgery). I do not think he is just being strong for the rest of us either. I truly can see how he is so strong mentally and physically that this is just like stubbing a toe would be for many of us.

Spending the past 17 days with him at the hospital and sleeping in my childhood bed has brought many changes on in me. I will not go into specifics but I have become aware of many things about myself that I would, and do, find very annoying in myself and others. I have changed many of these things within myself over the past week and I will continue to curb these bad habits until they are no longer habits and are completely gone. I know that will take time and I will slip-back once in awhile but I will overcome these traits despite them being part of my DNA for awhile now. So, if you have found me annoying at times give me another chance in a few months and maybe you will like the new me better than the old me.

I hope that Jill and I can record a new podcast this coming weekend. I was surprised, when I visited a dear friend from the past for an hour or so last week, that she listens to the podcast. She asked, "when are you going to do another podcast?" I never really know who reads the blog or listens to our show unless they send us a message or comment on the interwebnet or something.

 Maybe in about seven years or so?! Right before I die 

I managed to get away for about an hour on Tuesday after dad got out of the hospital and was safely at home; I went to weigh-in. I had lost 1.4 pounds the prior week and and was not very hopeful this week with being at the hospital most of the time. But, happily I lost another 4.4 pounds this week even without not being able to do much working out. I did find a little time to run on a treadmill and ride a stationary bike so I have been getting some exercise. So far, since December 29th I have lost 21.4 pounds. I am pretty pleased with that, that in nine weeks, I lost that much. That is an average of almost 2.5 pounds per week. That seems like a healthy pace and doable for the foreseeable future. I have a long way to go to be where I want to be but I love salads, I love most vegetables, I love grilled chicken breasts, I love giardiniera, I love all fruits, I love hard-boiled eggs and I love being thinner so, given those many loves, I an in a zone right now.

I slept really well last night; there truly is nothing like sleeping in one's own bed. I had a few nightmares last week and I seldom, if ever, have nightmares; even remembering my dreams was a thing of the past for many years. I love to dream. I have even recently had dreams where I was still asleep and in the dream, but realized I was dreaming, and was able to change the direction of my dream. I have tried to do that on purpose before but was never able to do it. I hope I can keep doing that because it is pretty cool. The dream managed to take over again but, just knowing that I can control my subconscious, that will make me continue to try.

What Dreams May Come

There is one thing really odd or strange or eerie or creepy or psychic... about one of my dreams from last week. I have told no one (not even Cha Cha) about this and I will talk about it on Dirty Laundry Podcast when we record the new show. I would say that it was, perhaps, foreseeing or willing or coincidencing (not really a word)... something to happen. For some reason, when I awoke, I even wrote about this before the part that was attached to it in the physical world occurred. I always keep a pen and paper by me when I sleep; it's a habit I have had since I was young. A writer writes, always!

Okay, I have some things that I am behind-on here at the house. Things don't stop just because we are not around. Thanks for hanging in here for me. I will try to write more again. The hospital WiFi was spotty, my parents' house does not have anything resembling WiFi, my mobile hot spot was spotty so I was kind of Amish for a bit more that a week. Thank you for all of the positive energy that you sent my dad's way for that time - you really helped, if nothing else, my spirits so I could stay strong for him. Man, this has to be one of the sappiest blogs I have written in a long time.

TTTT?...MITM (out) TA!

BLOG FOR TODAY!!!!!

Do I have to do everything myself???!!!

This morning, while on the way back to the hospital here with my mom to visit my dad, Hotel California came on the terrestrial radio. It made me think about this whole situation that he/we are going through. I know that song is, supposedly, about time spent in a drug rehab clinic but it translates very well to time in hospital waiting rooms and the ICU (intensive care unit) and every other place spent in a hospital. I took my mom home a bit ago as she can only take this situation for a short time. I am kind of relieved that she does not completely grasp what is going on because I believe that would lead to further distress all-around. I will let her do the things that she believes she needs to do and then, in a few hours, I have, once again, been reminded to LIVE FOR TODAY! I guess parents, in one way or another, never stop teaching their children. At least human parents anyway.

Through all of, what felt like, this turbulent storm I have felt kind of like a ship being tossed-about in the MIDDLE of the ocean. I would go whichever way the winds would carry me. Many time I felt as though I might capsize or take-on water but, though all of the violent storm my wonderful and wise shipmate for life, Jill (Cha Cha) was the North Star helping me to know which way to steer and allowing me to right the ship before I capsized. I suppose, in many ways, we have been that guiding light in the sky for one another many times over the years.

One of the things that I like about this hospital is they genuinely seem compassionate here. I know most hospitals do feel that to a certain extent but I have notices, what I assume, is a homeless man in once of the ICU family waiting rooms. The rooms are fairly nice with a television and some couches and tables... I have seen him in there every day for the past three days/nights. They require everyone to wear new badges every day with the day's date and the room/area that you are visiting. My current badge reads. "ICU-157 2/5/16." I see that he has a badge but I have not bothered to try to see. I like to have the story on my head that the hospital gives him a badge that reads "ICU Family Waiting Room" so he can sleep there and be warm. If I knew he were in need I would buy him a lunch or a dinner but I don't want to embarrass anyone by mistake. I don't mind doing it, on occasion, on purpose if someone needs, in my warped opinion, a dressing-down. This appears to be a religious hospital as here is a daily prayer said over the loud speaker in many parts of the hospital. I like the parts of religion that actually helps the under-privileged, the poor, the hungry, the children and being in some sort of crisis. I just don't believe in some of the other mumbo-jumbo and politics of many religions.

My two greatest creations!!!

Today is Splenda's birthday - exactly two week's after Fabio's (though five years later). I know I have probably written it here before but - is it odd that our two children's birthday we just about nine months after our anniversary date of April 30th? Methinks it is no a coincidence. Anniversaries are about love and what better love is there than for the love of our children? And cats, in my mom's eyes.

Okay, I can probably head back to his room now; I had to leave while they removed his tube and many wires. I will be excited to actually speak with him again even though we have had plenty of half-verbal discussions. Last night, when Cha Cha left to go home she told my dad, "I love you dad." And hi, being who he is tried to say it back to her with the tubes in his mouth, We both saw, by his tongue movement exactly what he was saying.

Okay, I am heading back down to ICU and, hopefully when I blog tomorrow or whenever, I will have goon things to report. I also hope my good friend Ma Meyer is recovering nicely from her recent similar work.

Thank you for stopping by; I really appreciate you allowing me an outlet to relieve many of my stresses and aggravations; it is very ultradocious of you. TTT?...MITM - out) TA!