New Shoes in the Rain

Good Monday morning, friends. Would you believe that I am in the fourth day of a four day weekend?  This is unusual for me, as I am pretty bad at taking time off from work unless there's a specific occasion or trip involved.  But a couple of weeks ago I sent my boss a time off request for last Thursday and Friday.  He messaged back that he was already scheduled off for the same week, so asked if I would mind changing my request to Friday and Monday. Done. So my time off started by watching the Cincinnati Reds' season opening game last Thursday afternoon.  While the Reds lost 6-4 that afternoon, they won on Saturday afternoon but lost again yesterday, by a score of 6-3.  So it goes. What else have I done with my time off?  Well, for starters, not traveling, which I do most every day.  My job is in outside sales, and while I work occasionally in my home area of Lexington, most of my work is at least an hour's drive from my home base.  So this was ni...

Hello, friends.....hope your week is off to a good start. Eagle-eyed readers will note the title of today's comments, borrowed from a concert film and album featuring the late musical group Talking Heads.  One of the more inventive concert films I've seen, directed by the late, great Jonathan Demme.  I saw a show on the same tour from which these performances were taken, and it was quite something.   But that's not why we're here, is it? I'm in my mid 60's, so in my memory, when a Presidential administration felt the need to be less than truthful with the American people, there was a narrative created that more or less explained away the straight facts that the public already had in their possession (back when we all cared more, certainly) about a situation or a growing scandal or something equally difficult to hide. Now, though, our current President and those loyal to him simply say whatever suits them at the moment.  Take the present White House Press Secreta...

Happy Thursday, everyone…the work week is almost over! When I was a kid, I recall vividly coming to the realization that, in order to survive in this world, I was going to have know how to fight!  And I don’t mean gathering one’s inner strength and persevering, I mean actual physical fights! Suppose that was a byproduct of most of what we watched on TV in our household, lots of Western shows and movies, detective and police shows and movies and generally a lot of action.  Seemed to me that I was going to have to fight it out with people, and frequently, in order to get anywhere in this world!  Not only that, but quicksand seemed to be an imminent threat as well! Of course, none of that was true then or now.  “Fighting” in real life is more about sticking to one’s principles, standing up for one’s self and one’s family, too. Thank goodness! But let’s face it, life is full of contradictions, and it seems now that we are in the second term of President Trump, contradict...