Is It Really That Bad? "Heaven's Gate"

I remember 40 years ago.  There was buzz, not the good kind, around a new movie starring Kris Kristofferson.  Some flick called “Heaven’s Gate” was getting terrible press due to the combination of very poor box office and very high budget.  

But now in 2020 Hollywood is making barely any movies I want to see.  Actually with COVID restrictions still in place, they’re barely making any movies, period.  But I digress.  When I’m at the DVD Netflix page and trying to fill my queue I wisely pick some older ones.  

I’m not sure why I chose “HG” but it’s turn in the queue finally came and as I popped it into the DVD player all I was thinking was:  “Is it really that bad?”

Well….

It is very, very long.  When the movie requires two DVDs that tells you something.  Should you watch this title I recommend you do what I did:  break up the viewing into two sittings.  

I believe it was on the deleted scenes section for the movie “The Rookie,” where the director said: “The number one enemy of every filmmaker is time.”  

Someone obviously never told Michael Cimino.  Again, if one takes at least one lengthy break (I took about a week, actually), you exponentially improve your chances of making it to the end credits.  

But is it worth the watch?  

For me, yes.  It satisfied my curiosity about the film and despite its length there are some high spots.  

Your mileage may vary.  Some folks will find it too violent.  Or too hard to hear.  Or too smoky/dusty.  Or find fault for many other reasons.  

Will it wind up being a movie I own?  No.  

Is it really that bad?  No

But it’s really not all that good, either.  

Which one is my favorite Connery Bond film?

Sean Connery died a few Saturdays ago.  Sadly another event that marks the not-always-noticeable passage of time.  Now the first two cinematic Bonds are now gone.  Now there’s hardly anyone (cast or crew) from the first several 007 flicks still around.  Even taking into account that, on average, women live longer than men, in 2020 alone we said goodbye to the female leads from both Goldfinger (Honor Blackman) and On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (Diana Rigg).  Happily, Ursula Andress is still around…

But returning to the subject of Sir Sean, his passing got me pondering about which of his Bond outings is my favorite.  I quickly dismissed Dr. No and Never Say Never Again.  The latter was clearly Connery just having some fun with the role, plus the movie itself was many minutes too long and the ending downright anticlimactic.  Regarding the former, as it was the first one out of the gate there are obvious weaknesses.  These include the limitations that come with a small budget, actors establishing the characters and the absence of John Barry orchestrations that would be a staple of the future films.  

So that leaves, in order of release: From Russia With Love, Goldfinger, Thunderball, You Only Live Twice and Diamonds Are Forever.  

Goldfinger:  For many fans this is the movie.  Has it all.  Larger-than-life villain with an almost indestructible henchman to boot.  Scheme of world domination (and become even more wealthy in the process).  Four attractive women.  One is quickly forgotten, two are sent to the promised land by almost-indestructible henchman and one sees the end of the movie in company of our hero.  And a couple of vulnerable moments for ol’ Jimmy.  Will he get sliced in half by a laser?  What about when he knocks the lid off the nuclear device and responds with a look of befuddlement?  You can read it on his face: “How do I disable this thing?”  (Where’s Q Branch when you need them?)

Speaking of Q Branch, how about that Aston Martin?  Is there any driver, anywhere, who hasn’t wished for a button to create an oil slick or smoke screen when dealing with obnoxious and dangerous drivers from the rear?  

Yet for me, perhaps because Goldfinger is so recognized and revered maybe it’s not one of my top choices (gasp!).  Don’t misunderstand me, I still like the movie and am willing to watch it periodically.  But it’s not at the top of my Connery list.  

Thunderball:  Great story.  In fact, this film has the most interesting backstory of any of the ones adapted from Ian Fleming’s novels.  I won’t go into detail here, the infosphere can tell you all.  

Despite the plot, the performances, the action, another appearance from the Aston Martin, more attractive women and the Bahamas setting, this one also isn’t at the top of my list.  Reason?  It’s too long.  The undersea battle drags on, the story seems to lag at times and the entire sequence with Quist could have been left on the cutting room floor as it doesn’t advance the plot one bit.  Still, there’s plenty of moments where the film is a whole lotta fun.  Jet pack, Shrublands, conch chowder, “I think he got the point,” Fiona on the motorcycle and later behind the wheel of a Ford Mustang, James blasting the clay with a hip shot (in full view of the main bad guy) and last but not least: “I hope we didn’t scare the fish.”  

You Only Live Twice:  The first flick with a plot that is entirely unrealistic/unscientific.  Even with suspension of disbelief YOLT is difficult to digest.  Seriously, a rocket able to reach orbit with at least two crew members and is capable of snatching US or USSR capsules and bringing them back to Earth totally undetected by the inhabitants of Japan?  A huge supervillain’s lair in a hollowed-out volcano that was built, again, without any detection by the local gentry?  Tiger Tanaka, who has significant resources at his disposal and appears to enjoy a sizable budget, also had no knowledge of the above?  Finally, Japan is an island and no doubt the British Navy together with Japan’s intelligence service have the seas well-monitored but Blofeld gets away anyway?  <Sigh>

By process of elimination you’ve guessed my top two!  

From Russia With Love.  This is my numero uno.  Excellent story, very believable.  The movie is fast-paced.  Some might say the gypsy camp and shooting of Krilencu segments slow down the plot but for me they give more light into the culture of that time and place.  Who could not like Kerim Bey?  Or feel some sympathy for Tatiana?  Or wonder how on earth James will escape the situation of being held at gunpoint, on his knees, in a small passenger train compartment, by a man who is perhaps the most sociopathic of all the Bond baddies?  

Speaking of the Orient Express, perhaps my favorite cinematic moment in the entire series is when James is walking along the platform at one of the train’s stops and Red Grant is aboard the train paralleling him, unseen to James but visible to us.  Creeps me out every time I see it.

Then there’s one of the best Bond quips ever, when he realizes what’s happening and that his minutes are numbered:  “Red wine with fish, that should have told me something.”    

Then in second place, it’s Diamonds Are Forever!  

I know, this is not too high on the majority of Bond fans’ lists but who cares?  What do I like?  The Las Vegas setting.  This flick is a great way to see what Sin City looked like a half-century ago, with great use of both downtown and The Strip.  Bond impersonating Peter Franks.  Car chase through downtown (way before it was converted into a pedestrian mall).  James sneaking his way into Blofeld’s factory, then escaping via the moon buggy.  Bambi and Thumper.  Theme song performed by Shirley Bassey.  

Downsides?  Charles Gray as a not-at-all menacing or frightening Blofeld.  (He’s a far cry from Telly Savalas in the previous Bond picture.)  A “climax” that is anything but, especially when you consider Blofeld killed Bond’s wife in the aforementioned OHMSS.  A plot that’s a bit hard to follow.  Pondering why Wint and Kidd kill every one of their victims save for ol’ JB, whom they just leave unconscious in a buried pipeline.  

And there you have it!  

Three Months? Where does the time go?

Check of the blog.  Last post was July 11.  Today is October 11.  

What's been going on for the past three moons?

Been freakin’ busy, that's what.  Given the entire Geofamily relocated (again), this time to Minnesota.  

The good news I referenced in a June entry was a job offer, one which had a salary and benefits sufficient to have me give a “yes” answer.  But with the good comes the bad, meaning arranging the moving and everything else (along with the expected stress and headaches) involved with going somewhere new.  

On the other hand it was gratifying to finally have solid direction given Geogal and I were open to staying in or near Manhattan or venturing to Minnesota.  While the preceding sentence seems elementary, not knowing where we would land carried its own brand of stress.  

When I say “land,” this means something very different, a characteristic that hasn’t been part of our existence since 2008 when we made the move from Chandler, Arizona to rural Kansas.  

Settling.  Truly putting down roots.  

Geogal and I always knew Norton, Kansas would not be the place we would live out the rest of our lives.  When 2016 morphed into 2017 we, as a family, knew it was time to head elsewhere.  Henceforth the transition to Manhattan (Kansas).  

Back to the present:  Now we’ve been in Saint Peter, Minnesota for a hair over two months.  I’m settling into my work and Geoana quickly (as in a few days after our arrival in St. Peter) returned to her college existence, starting her sophomore year.  

What’s next on the Geofamily horizon?  Transitioning into the Minnesota cold, for starters.  I took the opportunity today to go to a Seven Mile Creek Park, pretty good trails and a great chance to enjoy the changing leaf colors Mother Nature has to offer.  All of this while clad in t-shirt and shorts (mid-to-high 70’s!!).  Here’s a little sample of what I enjoyed:

Yeah, by next weekend the temps will be much cooler.  I’ve got the warm clothing and associated food/beverages at the ready….

Topeka TV Over-The-Air Changes

Been a long time since I've done a post devoted to over-the-air television reception or changes in the offerings.  Two reasons for being dilatory.  First, much of my energy these days is taken with other tasks and concerns and second, in my local market (Topeka) there simply wasn't much happening with free TV.  

Until last Saturday.  

The week prior I noticed a crawl indicating on or after July 3, please re-scan your television if you watch via antenna.  No other details.  The station's website said the same thing.  

But I knew a couple of things were in the works.  Thanks to the ever-useful Rabbitears.info site two of the local channels had to make a switch.  And in the past month KSNT's site featured a story on the new construction for KTKA's tower.  (For those not familiar with this market, all of the network outlets are owned by two corporations.  WIBW is owned by Gray Communications and the others belong to Nexstar. Thus the NBC, ABC, Fox and CW stations are under the same local umbrella.  This is why one station can report on the happenings with another and not have suits screaming about giving the competition free publicity.)  

Why did these stations need to move their channels?  One word: repack.  

Explanation for the curious.  The FCC, over the course of many years, eliminated removed the frequencies available for TV broadcast and sold the spectrum space to wireless providers.  This began in the late 1980's with channels 70-83 but it's likely no one noticed given these high channels saw almost no use save for translator stations.  Then with the analog shut-off in 2009 the channels broadcasting on 52-through 69 had to move to a lower channel or go off the air completely.  Shortly afterward channel 51 also got axed.  Over the past few years the FCC did another spectrum auction and now stations broadcasting on channels 38 through 50 are undergoing the "move or go off the air" routine.  Using a term I consider spin, this auction is referred to as "repack."  Bottom line--TV stations are being shoehorned into an ever-smaller chunk of available channels.  Since KTKA was on channel 49 and KTMJ broadcast on channel 43 I knew these eventually had to make the move.  

Last Friday night that move happened.  

So I get up last Saturday morning and sure enough, no signal on KTKA or KTMJ, although the latter never did give us a constant watchable picture here in the Manhattan area given it's a low-power station and broadcast from PBS affiliate KTWU's tower in northwest Topeka.  KTWU is the shortest of all area transmitter towers and their signal remains sketchy around here even though KTWU is a full-power operation broadcasting on channel 11.  

So...do the rescan and what a nice surprise!  While KTKA remains a constant and adequate signal the real treat was vastly improved reception of KTMJ.  Three bars (out of five) on the signal strength meter and no dropout or pixellation.  Nice to know I can enjoy the subchannels featuring Grit or Laff without concern of losing the signal before the movie or program ends.  According to FCC information KTMJ's transmitter location moved to KTKA's tower, which is taller and a bit closer to those of us near Manhattan.  Even without a significant increase in power this transmitter change is providing a much-improved signal to antenna viewers such as me.  

To the engineers and management:  Thank You!!!

The Movies (Stay-At-Home Viewing Part Three)

Last entry was about the TV shows, now on to a flick update. 

Yesterday, courtesy of Prime, I caught "Mommie Dearest," a film I recall getting a lot of attention at the time of release but which I never saw.  Until now.  

It falls somewhere between my desire to enjoy older movies and my guilty pleasure of viewing movies that are "so bad it's entertaining."  

It turned out to be another one of those films that had me stating to Geogal as the closing credits rolled: "Now let's watch a comedy."  

Last Thursday the child and I watched "2001, A Space Odyssey" for the second time.  Undoubtedly this is a film that is slowly growing on me (not unlike "Contact").   My history of watching it is detailed enough it warrants its own separate entry on this blog.  

Two Sundays ago all three of us enjoyed "Where'd You Go, Bernadette?"  While eternal reviews are mixed I can't argue with the film's overall thesis:  All of us are gifted to do certain things, and don't try to shove a square peg into a round hole!!

A look at the DVD queue shows titles such as "Citizen Kane," "Marty" and "Downton Abbey."  I expect some quality viewing time in the near future.  

Stay-At-Home Viewing, Part Two

I've written before about TV and movie viewing while staying home as-much-as-possible.  

Challenge:  How do I compose an entry addressing the above subject without sounding like thousands of others' articles or postings?  

Answer:  Remind myself this blog is very individual and not always meant for mass consumption.  Although if many people choose to read it I won't quibble.  

I still don't watch much on network TV.  Fox's "Celebrity Watch Party" is the only show I try to catch when it airs.  However....I'm about done with it.  A couple of reasons:  1) the novelty is wearing off and 2) many of the programs they feature are not shows in which I'm interested.  

So that leaves physical media and streaming.  For the former the whole Geohousehold continually enjoys "Futurama," seasons 1-5.  (The made-for-TV movies and subsequent return seasons don't interest any of us here--I learned my lesson many years ago from "The Simpsons," "Frasier," and "Family Guy."  Don't waste my time or brain matter on programs that clearly passed their sell-by date.)  Also in the DVD category is "The Critic" (a show years ahead of its time), "WKRP in Cincinnati" and Geogal has one of her all-time favorites: "Scarecrow and Mrs. King."  

Streaming?  Obviously a larger category and one that's ever-changing.  For now we're all savoring the one season of "Alone" currently on Netflix.  Maybe it's the spectre of seeing individuals slowly dealing with the challenges of being both isolated and lacking many modern outdoor essentials (no propane camp stoves, no Yeti coolers, no firearms, no rod and reels, no compound bows). Throw in no interpersonal drama and no (fake) strength or endurance games, a la "Survivor," and you've got some interesting viewing.  

Another series available to us via Hulu is "King of the Hill."  Some years back Geoana asked if I wanted this one in DVD form but I answered in the negative.  Even though KOTH ran for 12 seasons there are only about 25-30 episodes I truly enjoy.  And...I've watched about all of them in the past few weeks.  I forsee putting this one on the back burner soon.  

Also in the above linked entry I wrote about watching "The Prisoner."  I have since finished it.  Thoughts?  

Overall not a bad use of my time.  A few episodes are excellent, others are just a bit surreal for my taste.  And my take on how it ended?  Just one sentence:  Watch it for yourself and draw your own conclusions.  

In the meantime I did succumb and viewed "Tiger King."  I agree with my gals' take--this is a show that really has no true hero or obvious villain.  The primary characters all appear to have their unique strengths and faults.  

That's all for now.  I will save films for the next entry.  

June update and thoughts

Whoa, been nearly a month since I've posted here.  

Several things happened in the interim, I'll get to those in due time.  Let's just say the Geohousehold will be busy for the next several weeks.  

Yet I'm making a commitment to keeping this space current and also remind myself that writing (however little or great) here can be quite therapeutic.  

___________________________

Mark this in the "things of which I was vaguely aware" category:  Ever notice when you're in a state of expectation, how it helps to stay occupied and active?  

A small case in point--at the start of last week I was on pins and needles regarding (what I hoped) was pending news.  Monday, quiet.  Tuesday, quiet.  Wednesday morning, got something in the email inbox that showed promise.  And Wednesday afternoon Geogal and I decided to get out and move around in actual nature, not just our subdivision.  We took a short hike along Linear Trail, where it crosses under Highway 24, and headed in the south/southwest direction, past the point where the Big Blue River empties into the Kansas River.  We reached a good turning-around point and walked back to the car.  Once I got home I noticed I had a missed call and voice mail message on the phone, both of which came across not long after we set out on the trail.  

It was good news.  

___________________________

Finished watching John Ford's cavalry trilogy.  A bit out of order as I first viewed "She Wore A Yellow Ribbon" and the following week watched "Fort Apache."  Wrapped things up with "Rio Grande," courtesy of Prime streaming (the other two were DVD-in-the-mail from Netflix).  

Glad I took the time.  All are well-done and even Geogal surprised me by hanging around, given she generally is not a western-movie person.  She remarked: "I'd forgotten how good of a movie 'Fort Apache' is."  

Speaking of trilogies, I'm scheduled to get "The Rise of Skywalker" from Netflix DVD either today or tomorrow.  Didn't bother to catch it in the theater.  That will lead into a whole 'nother blog entry.  

Wow, this coming Sunday will be brutal

When they said warmer temps were on the way they meant it!! 

Might make me long for summer days in Chandler, Arizona when I thought 110 and above was rough...

Is There Really Any Shame During COVID-19 Lockdown?

In my last entry I detailed my guilty pleasure as watching “The Masked Singer” every Wednesday night.  Do I dare add a new one?  

Early last week I recall seeing promos for a Fox program titled: “Celebrity Watch Party.”  At the time I shook my head (figuratively) and mumbling “so it’s come to this?” regarding network programming ideas that can be done quickly and in an inexpensive manner.  

But in spite of myself….

Come last Thursday evening we already had it on the Fox station (watching the 6 and 6:30 episodes of “The Big Bang Theory”) when 7:00 rolled around and “CWP” debuted.  

Well…

It actually gained and held our attention.  Part of the appeal was due to this being a program no one needs to take too seriously and some was seeing well-known figures interact with members of their family, such as Tyra Banks with her mother.  

To my surprise the shows featured were not only Fox products but included offerings from Disney+, TLC and even CBS Sunday Night At The Movies.  Even though the three of us who constitute the Geo-household still hadn’t seen many of the programs the “celebrities” were viewing but we could still laugh together with the rest of the viewing world when Ozzy Osbourne mumbled: “Who the (bleep) is that?” upon last week’s Masked Singer reveal.  Just like the erstwhile musician/personality/bat-head-biter we also had never heard of Jackie Evancho.  

So an hour goes by and we laughed.  A lot.  

Will I catch “Celebrity Watch Party” tonight?  

Sure!

______________________________

Put this one into the “even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while” category:

A few Christmases ago I gave Geogal (who is a notoriously difficult person to buy for) a PhoneSoap as one of her presents.  I got the idea from an episode of “Shark Tank” and figured given her work in health care and her penchant for keeping items sanitary it would be a good gift.  

Now fast-forward to March of 2020.  She and Geoana have returned to Kansas for a time and there is much concern about COVID-19 and what actions the federal and state governments will take.  Geogal is unpacking and reaches into one box, pulls out the PhoneSoap and says—with conviction:  

“Best! Gift! Ever!!”

Note to self:  Savor this for as long as you can.  

What Am I Watching?

I try to keep these entries original and (I hope) slightly interesting to certain folks.  Yet today I'll share how I've spent some of my time in front of the idiot flat screen.  Not an excessive amount of time, mind you.  But I believe television and movies, in proper moderation and as part of a balanced life, do no harm and actually serve the purposes of relaxation, entertainment and education.  

Over the air  

Right now there's only one prime time show I watch regularly: "The Masked Singer."  And don't you dare judge me, dear reader.  (We're all entitled to a few guilty pleasures.)  

Otherwise I and the rest of the household usually catch the 4:00 airing of "Mom" on KTMJ, followed by "The Big Bang Theory."  Occasionally I catch a good western on Grit, except the reception is a bit hinkey here in Pottawatomie County as the channel 43.3 signal is low-power and not designed to be watchable outside of metro Topeka.  

When will "American Ninja Warrior" begin airing???

Streaming  

Completed: 

The second season of "Manifest."  Will I continue?  Not sure.  Geogal already expressed her disdain for the direction the show is taking and she makes some good points.  I also agree with folks on the 'Net pointing out we've now finished two seasons and still have no idea what caused the plane to vanish for five years then reappear with no time elapsing for the passengers/crew.  

"The Spy"  While I'm not a fan of Sacha Baron Cohen this six episode somewhat-based-on-fact series was interesting if for nothing more than to watch a blue-collar, everyday individual morph into a different persona.  Did he continue strictly out of duty to his country or perhaps did he enjoy the life and lifestyle of the alter ego?  

In progress:

"The Prisoner"  Amazon Prime offers this one and I'm enjoying the ability to watch the episodes when I wish, uninterrupted.  Given the surreal and downcast nature of this show this is not one you would binge-watch.  I've found about every other day works for me.  I have five episodes left.  

"Black Books"  My gals are watching this one but I've caught a few episodes here and there.  I always can tell when they've chosen this as I hear bursts of loud laughter no matter where I am in the house.   

Just yesterday I started watching "Rust Valley Restorers" even though I'm not a gearhead nor even mechanically inclined.  Doesn't matter, it's still interesting to see how nearly-ancient vehicles are given new life.  

Geogal activated a one-month free subscription to Hulu last Sunday so that helped turn the normally-dreary Sunday afternoon/evening into an enjoyable way to pass the time.  The women prefer "How I Met Your Mother" and "Mrs. America" while I'm rewatching some "King Of The Hill" eps.  

Haven't begun but I'm pondering:  

"Tiger King"  Do I take the plunge?  The gals binge-watched this one while they were in Minnesota yet they've kept their comments to a minimum.  

Physical media

All hail the DVD!  (And Blu-Ray!!)  Yes, I know streaming offers movies and TV shows for instant viewing but.....

Not everything is available on streaming.  This is especially true for someone like me, whose tastes don't run for anything and everything being colossally loaded with CGI or for superhero movies (either DC or Marvel) that hit the screen at the rate of about one per week.  What if I'm more into watching classic films or those that are a bit esoteric?  

There's also pride and confidence in owning, truly owning, the movie or show you bought.  Doesn't take a long search online to find people angry because they purchased something only to have it removed from the streaming service for one reason or another.  Even my 19-year-old daughter understands the value of having the small plastic disk.  

But back to the subject--what I am watching on DVD or Blu-Ray?  

Currently have "Munich," probably will watch that today.  Two nights ago enjoyed "New In Town," particularly given the New Ulm, Minnesota location (even though the picture was shot in Canada).  

Just recently:

"Dirty Harry"
"1941"
"Once Upon A Time In Hollywood"
"Rocky IV"
"The Jerk"
"Spartacus"
"The Manchurian Candidate" (the original, with Frank Sinatra)
...and so on.  

Combining The Two

The Sergio Leone/Clint Eastwood trilogy of spaghetti westerns.  The first two, "A Fistful of Dollars" and "For a Few Dollars More" I watched via the DVD by-mail service and caught the third one, "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" on Netflix streaming.  I can put this in the "completed" category.  

Soon though, I will take up the John Ford/John Wayne cavalry trilogy.  I have "Fort Apache" and "She Wore A Yellow Ribbon" in the DVD queue and can watch "Rio Grande" on streaming. 

__________________________ 

Time for a bit of snark?  When you're searching the streaming services for something worthwhile it sure reminds me of scouring the video rental places in the 80's and 90's looking, maybe in vain, for something worth watching that you haven't already seen.  

The technology changes but the quality of offerings usually doesn't.

__________________________

I did buy a subscription to ESPN+ around the beginning of March, for reasons completely unrelated to pending lockdown.  I wanted to catch some K-State baseball games and then....yeah...we all know what happened.  But in addition to live sports the ESPN+ package offers all the "30 for 30" documentaries so in the meantime I enjoyed several that I found interesting and well-done.  Granted I won't be watching every one as some pertain to sports, subjects or personalities I either find repulsive or just don't fit my overall makeup.  That's OK, however, as it means there's often something out there for everyone.  Since I've about exhausted the "30 for 30" productions I likely will end my ESPN+ service.  Now, if they just offered "5 Reasons You Can't Blame".....

Is It Time For My Thoughts??

So I take a look at this blog and realize my last entry was March 18.  

To say much has changed since then would be a colossal understatement.  As is happening with so many other states, Kansas residents are under a stay-at-home order although as of this writing the governor might relax this a bit in the next few days.  I'm staying tuned.  

Minnesota is under an even more restrictive order and as such Geoana is now back with us, doing her classes online.  Whether her institution will resume classes in the brick and mortar setting by fall is yet to be decided.  However as a family we decided if the fall classes are online then Geoana is out of there.  She's in full agreement that paying tuition and the other fees for the privilege of attending one of the top private institutions in the area isn't the best use of money if all she's doing is....online courses.  

Stay tuned.  

I have my thoughts and opinions about this whole COVID-19 lockdown situation but I'll keep those out of this blog not only because I like my privacy but also believe I have nothing original to contribute to the nation-and-worldwide discussion/debate.  What I will do is two things.  First, what are the things for which I can be thankful?  And second, what can I list that in the future I hope to not take for granted?  

Giving thanks:

My household is healthy, no symptoms of coronavirus or anything else outside of seasonal allergies.  

We still have a roof over our heads along with amenities such as running water (that is potable), electricity and an Internet connection.

The weather is warming up which means the ability to be outdoors, and that is a great remedy for cabin fever.

Even though the library is closed until further notice we can still borrow certain titles through the online lending service, downloaded right to my Kindle Paperwhite.  

Friends and neighbors.  And my brain reminding me to be a good friend and neighbor.  

Taking afternoon walks around the neighborhood and seeing whole families outside, even if they don't go beyond their own driveway.

The hope and anticipation that restrictions, at some point, will ease and life as we know it will slowly return to a sense of normal.  

I could go on but those items are a great start.  

Remember not to take for granted in the future:

The privilege of going out to eat, whether it's a quick burger and fries or a nice sit-down multi-course meal.  

No restrictions on outdoor activities such as camping.

Going to the library.  

Attending church and receiving communion.

Going to see a movie (providing there's any I wish to see--the only one that comes to mind recently was "1917").

Just about anything else that can be done in and with the public, such as going to a park or community event.  

Visiting friends' homes and vice versa.  

Again, this list could go on but I feel content with the above for now.  

Note to self:  Look at this entry a few weeks, then months, then years in the future.  Being reminded of what is really important never hurts.

Stay tuned.

These 40 days of Lent

Ideas and inspiration for these blog posts come from numerous sources.  Sometimes it’s current events, other times it may be a response to a past or present life event.  Plus when I travel the combination of different surroundings and making memories spurs the writing juices.  

But other times I see something and immediately start thinking of how to expand on a topic.  

Such was the case a couple of weeks ago when, in the course of typical errands, I spotted this marquee for a local BBQ joint:

Some background for readers who are not part of my family:  I was raised Catholic.  As such the season of Lent always meant the Friday night meal consisted of tuna casserole or fish sticks.  And my lunch always featured a peanut-butter sandwich.  Ash Wednesday also was a no-meat day.  

Even into my teen years I was afraid of inadvertently eating meat lest the wrath of God come upon me.  Once I even voiced this and my father quickly steered me in the right direction with the sentence: “That’s not God’s rule, that’s the church’s rule,”  

I’m now in my 50’s and in this passage of time my faith direction shifted away from the Catholic Church and to mainstream Protestantism.  But that’s a subject well beyond the scope of this blog and I’m not comfortable putting that much of my story out for public consumption.  

However with the abstinence from meat on certain days still taught and adhered to by Roman Catholics it does make sense to look into the origin and reason of this rule.  As expected the Internet gives plenty of information but I will summarize it for you:  If you’re choosing to deny yourself something pleasurable to instead focus on your spiritual growth you will reap significant long-term benefits.  

I agree, scholars and theologians.  That previous sentence appears far too simplistic yet I choose the wording in order to stay on my topic and not venture into examples or specifics.  I can leave that to others.  

My takeaway is this:  I choose to practice abstinence and/or fasting rather than obeying a particular rule out of compulsion.  If during this Lenten season I deny myself something enjoyable in order to spend more time in prayer and meditation I will have a better mindset and undoubtedly improved results.  

Now back to the sign that started all of this.  Under the rules of the Catholic Church I can consume said po’ boy on Friday during Lent and be within their regulation of abstinence.  But following the letter of the law obviously isn’t the same as the spirit.  A sandwich such as that will be pleasing (very much so) to my palate but am I denying myself anything significant?  For me the answer is no.  In line with my hobby of grilling food I learned how to cook salmon on a cedar plank, resulting in fish that has a wonderful smoky flavor and plenty of moisture.  Same thing.  The dish contains neither flesh nor fowl but gives me no sense of abstinence.  

I will close this with a reminder to all who read this.  I am not your spiritual leader so please don’t take my words here with any intention of directing others in matters of faith or in deconstructing the rules of the Catholic Church, or any other denomination.  Rather interpret this entry as a reflection of my own thoughts and attitudes toward this season of Lent and our anticipation of Easter.  I’m pleased to be part of a church body that does observe Lent and recall a conversation with a colleague who, while having very similar spiritual beliefs, admitted never having practiced a Lenten season observation and indicated an open attitude towards it.   Perhaps this entry will get some people thinking.  

To Thine Own Self Be True

The “Operation Varsity Blues” scandal hit the news a little less than a year ago.  Since then I've been struggling to write about the matter.  While I want to share my thoughts I also want to contribute something original.  

So while it's tempting to join in the schadenfreude I chose to take a different track. 

For this entry I also did something I normally don’t do with my blogging.  I talked to my freshman daughter and not surprisingly she had some strong thoughts on the matter.  Undoubtedly this is due to her experience over the past 12-16 months applying to schools.  Based on her GPA and ACT scores (and the latter didn’t just magically jump significantly the second time she took the test), together with her 4H leadership experience, community service and forensics/debate titles meant several schools were more than happy to grant her admission. 

Something to emphasize--she handled the admissions process herself.   

She did the applications.   She communicated with the schools.  

Isn't that as it should be?  Daughter headed up the process, not her mother or father. 

If these OVB parents did all the work, when will these young people learn how to manage for themselves?  And if the students DID know about the skullduggery, then yes, toss them out. 

Again, I won't dwell on the above any further.  My "different track" here is...integrity. 

I recall a workplace conversation many years ago (around 2003 if my memory holds) which speaks clearly to this topic.  

The agency where I worked housed me in the same building with a program staffed by several individuals, one of whom was a nurse.  This was no twenty-something, rather she was a good 15 years older than me.  As she talked about her high school years this individual disclosed a piece of information that caught my attention.  While discussing the menial-level jobs high school students typically have, this nurse shared how she earned an income during that time: 

“I wrote papers for other students.”  

My response involved disdain for how she, or anyone, could so overtly contribute to academic fraud.  Her answer?  “I was a businesswoman.  My fellow students would pay for this service and I was willing to provide it.”  

I think I was so aghast I just didn’t have effective comebacks in the moment.  Yet now I can think of follow-up queries such as: what would you think if your child, or stepchildren, engaged in this type of action or even worse, bought “papers” from a fellow student instead of doing the work themselves?

What if I had the chance to ask her those today?  For good measure I might add: “As a nurse, how would you feel about taking direction from a physician who cheated his/her way through school?” 

Back to the present.  Will any of these young people experience remorse later over the spectre of cheating to gain admission to USC or the like?  Will seeing their family members going to jail and suffering other consequences make any impact?  

But I do know this:  My own child will have no such struggle.  Nor do my wife and I have concerns about facing any fraud charges and as a bonus, can take pride in our child not only being accepted to, but completing a demanding academic program.  

Sometimes there's no better sleeping pill than a clear conscience.  

And shame on you, nurse Susan.    

Christmas In Minnesota--Conclusion

My Christmas Eve task is over, now it’s time to spend three days relaxing and enjoying the presence of my gals.  

Christmas morning rolled around and as is so typical, I’m the first one up.  In my normal household setting it’s no issue for me to get my coffee brewing and fire up the MacBook to check email and other things online.  But today, at this apartment, Geoana is still snoozing in the living room area so I extra-quietly start my first K-cup and surreptitiously fill the two stockings waiting under the tree.  (In my last entry I neglected to mention that after the offloading Geogal assembled our Christmas tree.  We’ve had this artificial arbor for a few years now and given I had plenty of room for cargo it was no problem for me to bring it along so the Minnesota apartment could have more of the Christmas feel.)  

Finally everyone’s up and we enjoy emptying the stockings.  No wrapped “presents” this year, given the whirlwind nature of my journey and the stress of maintaining two households, if only for a short time.  I suggested, with tongue-in-cheek, we have our Christmas gift exchange in early June, at which time we hope much of the dust will have cleared.  Geoana’s response indicated my spouse and I should just “go away somewhere” for our Yuletide present.  (Should that happen, I vote for Nashville.)  

After church and the midday Christmas meal (ham with all the trimmings) the afternoon and evening felt, to me, a bit odd.  Not so much that I was not at “home” but rather the feeling of being cooped-up and subsequently restless.  “Not to worry,” I kept telling myself: “Tomorrow you will have the chance to get out and see some of this town.”  

And I did.  On Thursday Geogal and I (plus our 18-year-old home-from-college child) met with our buyer’s agent, who took us through a couple of houses for sale and added in a leisurely tour of the area.  Friday the Geofamily went to Baxter and spent some money at Mills Fleet Farm then when evening hit Geogal and I had an early anniversary celebration meal at A.T. The Black & White.  I recommend the almond-encrusted walleye sandwich—to die for!!

Then Saturday arrives and with it, time for me to hit the highway back to Kansas.  I’m scheduled to return to work on Monday and wanted the extra day to relax and do laundry.

I planned to depart just as soon as I awakened which for me is always early.  Sure enough, I leave at 4:30 a.m.  I’m taking a different route this time given a winter storm is predicted to cause some concern for roads in the western part of the state.  Take 10 to St. Cloud then meet I-94 to The Cities.  From there on south it’s I-35, much to my dismay.  While there’s nothing wrong or objectionable about 35 I have traveled it so many times the past six years it now has a boring sameness.  

The starting leg proves to be no problem.  Gas up at Petro in St. Cloud, then it’s accelerate to interstate highway speed.  In my headlights I see very small snowflakes.  However once I pass Rogers the light snow turns into rain.  Then the rain begins freezing on my windshield.  Hit the washer fluid to clear my sight.  Intersect I-494, which I plan to take around the west edge of the metro area to avoid unnecessary city traffic, even at this early hour.   

Then my plan hit a snag.  Or should I say a slide.  As in my Suburban beginning to lose traction and slightly move in directions against my desire.  

Nice way to phrase my immediate concern (actually closer to terror) with the road conditions.  Seems the pavement was just cold enough to turn the rain into a skating rink.  I’m proud to say I kept my head, eased off on the accelerator and then carefully and slowly took the next off ramp, hoping there would be a 24-hour restaurant specializing in breakfast.  You know—Perkins, IHOP or even Denny’s.  Unfortunately this exit offered only a Holiday gas station/convenience store.  I settle for a banana and a protein bar and grab my library books to pass the time.  Again, another benefit of a Suburban is the large interior space meaning I can recline my seat to a non-driving position while I wait to see what will happen both meteorologicaly and road-wise.  Will crews be out with salt or other types of treatment?  If so, when?  

I also remind myself, for the first of several times this day, that I’m so thankful to not be pulling a U-Haul trailer.

Fortunately the rain stops yet the temperature remains around 29 degrees.  After an hour the sky is dawning and I decide to head out and see if I can make progress.  

Back on 494 I notice the vehicles in front are kicking up what looks like slush.  All right!  If I drive slow and stay in the already-traveled lanes I might just get through this.  Then another mile or two I see numerous taillights in the distance.  

That can only mean an accident ahead.  I decide to stay on the road and just endure the wait, however long it takes.  Being surrounded by other cars and trucks easily eliminates my feelings of loneliness but I’m starting to get restless by sitting in this traffic.  

Getting through the bottleneck (turns out it wasn’t an accident but rather several larger trucks having lost traction on a slight grade which blocked about three lanes) takes between 75 and 90 minutes.  Finally I’m through and again making progress on 494.  Still taking it slow and steady I reach the I-35W junction in about 15 minutes.  South on 35W was much the same and I kept telling myself that once I cleared Burnsville and the 35E split the conditions might improve as I’d be leaving the metro area.  

Sometimes you get what you hope for!  I pull off at the rest area south of Owatonna for a potty and stretch-the-legs interlude.  Checking the weather app on my phone I see that my direction calls for rain but not snow.  Yes!  

During the next few miles the ice even on the road shoulders lessens.  Crossing into Iowa I decide my next stop will be Ames.  To keep my mind occupied I listen to the Camping World Bowl, hearing Iowa State get bested by Notre Dame.  Once in Ames I decide to splurge on lunch and go to Five Guys.  When you’re mentally and physically tired sometimes there’s no beating a hearty burger and fries!!

Re-energized, it’s back to 35 and finish up Iowa.  Weather continued to be a mixed bag of heavy rain, light rain and medium rain.  No matter—still beats ice.  

Next state is Missouri and I decide instead of skirting the northern edge of KC and taking the Kansas Turnpike I will exit at Cameron and go west on U.S. 36 until it intersects K-99, then head south through Frankfort, retracing the route I took on the 24th.  

36 is a well-maintained four lane highway all the way to St. Joe, which is good because that is when the sky decided to open up and drop massive sheets of rain on this part of the Show-Me State.  Visibility is extremely poor for a stretch and now daylight is diminishing.  

Yet my fear of heavy rain combined with darkness never becomes reality.  Crossing into Kansas I’m able to keep the road in sight with minimal effort and after Hiawatha there are patches of fog but no further raindrops.  

Even though I know it’s coming I had to wonder if I would ever reach Highway 99.  Of course it arrives just as it should and I know I’ve hit the homestretch.  The road is in decent condition as the temp is above freezing yet the fog still comes and goes.  Passing by Rock Creek High School I encountered a big patch of pea soup.  

Then finally…it’s home.  Familiar subdivision and I feel as if I’m on autopilot.  

I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy to see my front door.  I text Geogal that I made it and unload only what I need for tonight from the Suburban.  All the rest can wait ‘till tomorrow.  

I also joked (via text to my wife) that I was ready for a belt of whiskey.  While I did pour myself a small amount from a bottle of Buffalo Trace (one of my birthday presents), I chose to sip the libation rather than gulp it down.  

Stats for this day:  Total time on the road—15 hours.  Distance—662 miles.  

No one had to rock me to sleep that night.