Eyes get opened again

Saw the Obama's latest production effort for their Higher Ground company, Rustin. This film as about the guy who single handedly organized the 1963 March on Washington which saw 250,000 citizens gather on the National Mall to hear speeches about freedom and peach and feel the solidarity of their brethren on August 28, 1963.  Being 13 years old at the time, this event was no more than a mention on Walter Cronkites's CBS Evening news.  And then it was gone.  This man was not mentioned in any of the reporting.  The only brief video was of Martin King making his speech and then it was gone.  

Bayard Rustin was a gay man when it was illegal.  He did not hide his preference.  When called out by Adam Clayton Powell on it,  he still soldiered on with his team of young people of all ethnicities and put this massive event on with no internet, no streaming and no cell phones.  It was land lines, thousands of buses, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches fueling a peaceful march and gathering of this mass of humanity.  Actual footage of the event is interspersed in the film for authenticity. If you value the real history of our country and the struggle for dignity, I urge you to check this one out on Netflix.   

Artificial Intelligence is a much discussed topic these days.  There are images generated all the time showing the faces of deceased pop stars or actors as they would appear if living today in an advanced age.  What about a solution to desalinate sea water, or a device to slow the effects of climate change?  What about curing a disease?  These bits of lightweight entertainment are a complete waste of this resource.  

thats it

all for now 

stay safe

 

Seeking some Tranquility

 As I sit here on a cold Saturday morning,  thoughts arise with a yearning for  some tranquility.  Walking along the side walk across from the ocean, these fronds were captured with all their minute detail.  Seeking inner peace in our chaotic world is a difficult task.  Some rely on faith placing their lives in the hands of God.  Conflicts between people are not easily solved.  Whether between family members or nations, we need to really look at each other and see the futility of battle and revenge.  Wars, those interpersonal and international solve little.  All we have really is each other.   Injustices have been committed on all sides.  No one group is blameless.  Are we destined to battle continuously?  Maybe so.  Let's all stop for a moment and walk in the other guys shoes. 

Preachy I know

thats it 

all for now 

stay safe

Thanksgiving and a Birthday

Thanksgiving and Andrew's birthday were celebrated over the past couple of days.  He turned 43 on the 21st and we shared a breakfast with he and his lovely fiancee Stephanie to start off the day at Breakfast Club which was outstanding as usual.  We had cake with the crew at our apartment and yesterday Thanksgiving was at his apartment with all fixings culminating with an UNO game including Shannon and Stephanie's  daughter Andie.  I ate too much of the wrong stuff which showed in my numbers this morning.  Eli beat me handily at Connect Four.  My strategic  skills are waning 

The best part was Shannon throwing her cards on the table after lots of urging.  

John F. Kennedy was assassinated on November 22nd 60 years ago this year.  It was barely a foot note in  the media.  This was a live changing event for those of my generation.  America was crushed.  The word terror was restricted to horror movies and books.  Mass and shooting were not put 

together in the same sentence.  The mop tops from Great Britain showed up on our shores on the following April and we started to heal as a nation.  

It's Black Friday.  I am not shopping,  with little interest in collecting more stuff.  

The Lions lost yesterday.  A disappointment but I guess the Packers wanted it more.  Still, it has been a remarkable season thus far. This inspirational coach has left his mark.  Probably not a Super Bowl year but the best in many decades.  

Thats it

enjoy your day 

all for now

stay safe

 

Sunday again

Sunday morning again, Eli and Marie spent the night and he is lounging on the couch.  Marie is still snoozing, locked in the second bedroom of the apartment.  They have been with us for a while.  Andrew has been without power for a couple of days, so they have been camping with us.  The two are much easier to care for in their teenage years.  The only dilemma is keeping enough food in the house to fill them, oh and laundry, continuous laundry.  

I lost a younger cousin in the past few days to a liver illness.  She was only 60 and I really did not know her well.  Mari was the daughter of my mother's middle brother Harry.  By all accounts, she lived an admirable life filled with faith and good works.  Could not attend the service due to recent travels.  She will be missed by all that knew her.

Laundry is in the dryer. We have an excursion to Eastern Market planned to check it out on a an off day,  many of the vendors will be gone but the stores should be open.  Need to get out of the apartment into the outside air for a change of scenery. 

I am wearing these khaki pants, purchased from the resale shop over a year ago.  The bottoms  are tattered and the top button is missing.  But, they fit my body completely.  I should throw them out but can't. They are loose fitting and quite flexible and friendly.

Thats it 

all for now

stay safe

 

Cape May 2023

 Went with the usual cast of characters on our 2023 Cape May adventure. This is a shot of the morning on the coast looking east.  We had some beautiful days and good company. Met a couple of new dogs for me and was smitten by them.  Have become so used to small canines that it was quite shocking to be knocked over by a lab mix.  Both of these girls were really sweet and loving.

This is Honey, (I could take her home!)

This is Kona who basically ran over me with love.

Judy and I on the same bright morning at the. ocean.  It was cool but bright

The venue, Peter Shields Inn all decorated for the season.  Rooms are lovely but the food is too fancy for my taste.  

Our dinner group of friends and relatives.  

My morning view at first light.  it was nice to get away but very glad to get home to our little apartment.  While the sun may not be as brilliant, it is still a pretty morning.  On the downsides of this trip,  Mr. Grace & Balance took a fall at the front door of the venue carrying out bags for one of our injured compatriots.  Not usually unnerved by such an occurrence, this time I had the giant entry door clunk me in the head while I fell to the porch.  It was disconcerting.  Of course, said it  was no big deal as I managed to get to my feet smiling to reassure my friends. 

Lost a belt in the security line that I forgot to retrieve, but not really too concerning.

Off to Costco this morning for some supplies with kid pickup in the afternoon.

thats it

all for now

stay safe

Riverwalk

Went to the Riverwalk yesterday with kids.  They had a day off from school and it was a good idea.  The weather was cloudy with some openings of sunshine.  After a lunch at Panera in the RenCen, we embarked off on our journey along the river.  Both kids are now taller than me.  I am very glad.  Judy took some good shots of the adventure.  They both fell into naps on the way home.

Watched a documentary called "Sly" on Stallone yesterday.  I have always loved the Rocky character and all the movies including the mediocre ones.  For me, he comes off as a real guy that has done some suffering in his life, had a painful childhood and loss of his son.  If you are a fan or at least curious, watch this one.  

In a rare  mood, Eli joined me at the grocery store yesterday.  He did the automated checkout like a pro and was polite to all the passersby.  The kids great grandfather died yesterday in Indiana.  I understand he lived a good long life.  Sorry for the whole family. 

War, any war accomplishes little other than killing people.  Borders get changed, buildings and infrastructure get destroyed.  The leaders promoting the conflict sit in their chairs and talk policy.  But on the ground and in the neighborhoods, lives are being destroyed.  Real, true innocents are giving up their lives for causes they don't understand. 

The endless cycle of vengeance seems to be unceasing in the Middle East.  There can be no justification for the killing of babies and children regardless of their ethnicity.  This is ungodly behavior, no matter how you address your deity of choice.  

Had to say this stuff.  I am angered and perplexed by these events even though  I am cloistered away in my quiet suburban neighborhood and can't help thinking of the young people pictured in this post. I think we take for granted the relative tranquility we live in.  

All for now

stay safe

Reviews

I have always loved the protrayal of villains in film and TV. From Gustavo Fring (Breaking Bad) to Gaston (Beauty and the Beast) to Phllip Stroh in Major Crimes>. I watched Whiplash for the second time over the past couple of days and needed something to write about.  JK Simmons portrays an egomaniacal studio band director (Terrance Fletcher), at an invented prestigious music school and Manhattan.  He rules his musicians with an iron fist and frightens them in to musical perfection.  Simmons shaved head and toned body covered in a tight black tee shirt makes him even more menacing as he struts around the practice room calling out the measures to be played.  One sax player is brought to tears and puts his head down, collects his horn and leaves.  

The young protagonist is a drummer of certain skills.  The music is classic big band with all the sections having solo parts.  The tune "Caravan", is played as well as the title song "Whiplash".  While actor Miles Teller has played the drums since his youth, he needed greater training and clever editing for this role.  

Not to reveal too much, Teller plays till his hands blister and bleed and he gets embarrassed in the ending scene,  both Fletcher and he come together for the final solo and there is moment of redemption for both characters.  If you appreciate musical process and the rigors of achieving perfection, you might enjoy this 2014 film (Netflix).

Saw the video of the reconstituted Beatles with their last song, Now and Then.  AI assisted in getting the voice of John Lennon from an old cassette tape from Yoko along with the simple tune.  Listened to it on pandora and later viewed the video on Apple TV.  It is a recollection of my misspent youth and really got to me.  I miss being happy and hopeful with a healthy dose of silly.  We, the listeners, appreciate all the effort it took to put this together and it is a suitable coda for the band.  

Its been a quiet morning for me in that Judy and Katey wend to PT with some success

all for now

stay safe

Saturday

After my bitching blog last night, got positive results from the manufacturer, after a lengthy time on hold.    They said I was now enrolled in their program for financial assistance.  We will see next year.  My adviser Renata was most helpful and patient with me and did the job masterfully.  

It's Saturday and Apollo will be spending the night with his buddy Harry.  Shannon will come too and we will have a houseful.  I got her the Big Uno cards she plays with at her program so we will see how it goes.  

A while ago, I bought another pair of New Balance (shoes for old guys} that I am wearing now.  Foot and clothing comfort seems to be key these days.  For whatever reason, these do the job.  There are numerous articles shown on line that tell men what not to where, lest they might not be perceived as young and vital.  I have learned to ignore such advice, replacing clothes and underwear and footwear when they wear out.  Thats the best I can do.  Sadly, it will not make me young again.  I like these shoes so much that I bought another pair of the same ones.  I am comfortable and don't look shabby.  

Rain fall last night and most of the leaves are down making for a sloppy walk trudging thru the seasonal debris.  The old Mamas and Poppas song "all the leaves are brown and the sky is gray" typifies this day. 

I like music that some may not be moved by.  "Spain" from Chick Corea  is one of those.  There is an acoustic version out there from one of his many collaborations.  It is an amazing rendition.  Wrote my musician buddy Peter Tolias to express my thoughts on this listening.  It was good to find a kindred spirit for such discussions. 

thats it

all for now

modest temperatures today

stay safe

IRRITATED!

So in their infinite wisdom toward greater cost savings for their shareholders, my  health insurance company that provides a medicare advantage program has chosen to not cover partial cost of the drug I take for Diabetes in 2024.  It seems that its components are part of the collection of drugs now are prescribed for weight  loss like Ozempic.  The cost after January 1st will be at full retail and quite exorbitant.  They cease covering the testing supplies which are needed for glucose control also on January 1st.  

The manufacturer of the drug in question offers assistance that I qualify for based on my annual income.  I am on my 2nd 2hr+ hold time wait time for them to answer my call listening to hold music that drones on interspersed by brief statements that are supposed to make it be better.  It doesn't.

So I spend my Friday night with my phone plugged in and waiting.  Seemed like a good time to do a blog.  Really cannot do anything else,  out of games and sick of doom scrolling on Facebook.  Don't I look happy?

Katey is continuing to improve.  The therapist has banned her from using the scooter and the boot.  Tendon is good and range of motion is approaching normal.  Still tough going downstairs.  I am doing dog duty in the morning but am out pretty quick.  

Coming up on 1 hour at 7pm.  they close at 8.  Oh well.  

No more complaints tonight.

all for now 

stay safe