Did someone say “two years”???

Happy Birthday to The Pedestrian Pundit...and some Thursday thoughts...

Happy 2nd birthday to my alter ego, The Pedestrian Pundit. Two years ago yesterday I took pen to paper (or, more accurately, fingers to keyboard) and this marks my 110th post. Why not 104, 2 years x 52? (I’m an English major but even I know bad math when I see it.) Well the first week I wrote every day to give a flavor of what I was thinking about with each “theme.” Then I wrote once a week every week since (haven’t missed a week!) with one “Extra! Extra!” post in late May when the Uvalde (TX) shootings almost broke me. And there was no Leap Year. So 110. Regardless of how you count ’em, for two whole years I’ve been coming in hot (tepid???) weekly (but with the day rotating each week), and with a mix of stuff, namely. my pedestrian version of: the haiku aka Maikus (Mondays)…transformation (Tuesdays)…of laundry lists/inventory of my reading/watching/listening/cooking/drinking/whatever habits (Wednesdays)…of all-over-the-map thoughts (Thursdays), and of things that I feel good about (Fridays). Sometimes the back-to-back Fridays and Mondays is a grind for me (and maybe a little tiresome for you) but overall the schedule works (for me), and I’m still down with the “themes.” And after going through all that, I sure hope I counted right. 😂😂😂 It’s roughly right anyway. 🤦🏼‍♀️

My “readership” has grown 40% in the last year and within that seemingly high percentage (I mean, you’d be out of your mind if your investment portfolio were growing like that!) lies a cautionary tale about high percentages. While reported percentages most likely are in fact true, they can be quite misleading. In this case my “high growth” actually looks like this: I have a subscriber list that has grown from 57 to 80 over the last 12 months…so yes while I am experiencing high growth percentage-wise, my overall subscriber number is low, like cellar-dwelling low. Anemic. Maybe even embarrassing. Some people might say “80 people after two years…why bother?” But I’m not some people and I’ll say this—writing weekly here and sharing it with you is one of my favorite things, a real labor of love. And even though the numbers are small the connections are strong—hearing from you and going on walks with you and feeling your support and friendship are some of the things that make this crazy thing called life that much more fun for me.

Over the course of the last year I’ve been blessed with new friends, cursed (and blessed, as I hope time proves out) to have lost my job…I went on a trip of a lifetime with my sisters and my mom for mom’s 80th…I’ve cracked beers and cranked tunes and hung out for hours out back by the pool…I’ve forest bathed and sun bathed and belly laughed more times than I can remember or count. Sounds like a pretty f-cking amazing year to me.

And as a bonus I like this kind of mile marker in my life because it’s giving me a reason to give pause and to take stock, something I know that I forget to do sometimes when I’m caught up in the rigmarole of life. That’s another great thing about this weekly commitment—it “forces” thought and reflection in places and spaces I’d probably otherwise leave dark and dusty.

I’m always open to suggestions and feedback on what I might do to make the time you spend here more enjoyable. So tell me if there’s something you’d like to see more or less of. Something you think I should change. Something you’d like me to talk about. Anything goes. And feedback is a gift. You giving me feedback helps me get better—it doesn’t make you mean. (Unless you’re a real a$$hole in your delivery of it of course.) If you’re reading this in email, simply reply (not to all) and I’ll get your message, or comment online to get some dialogue going. I really would love any input on how to make this better for the 80 of you.

Anyhow, and without further ado, I bring you this Thursday’s thoughts…

1. Saw this comic yesterday and really could relate to it. My face looks like that all day every day these days. Now that you know what you’re in for—pop by. I’d love to see you, wrinkles and all.

2. That Leslie Jordan (RIP) was one funny guy. But how is it that someone who is only 12 years older that me can be a very senior citizen? 😂😂😂 Beverly Leslie (on Will & Grace) was one TV character that made me laugh so hard my face hurt. Another untimely death, another reminder that when your time is up your time is up—so live it wisely and without apology (unless you’re wrong, then apologize, and sincerely). I think my favorite old clip of him that I saw come out in the wake of his death was this one, when he appeared on Pee-wee’s Playhouse. PW playing the violin is PW at his best, so check it out. (Big PWH fan, so probably no surprise I gravitated to this one. Thanks, friend, for passing it along!)

3. Speaking of TV—it’s so annoying that Jeopardy! doesn’t record with smart resume. Skipping commercials manually is so much work. (First-world problem. I know.) But still. It’s really tricky getting the timing right around Final Jeopardy.)

4. This bit of a gray period I find myself in lately has some obvious physical manifestations…so much so that even my 23-yo nephew commented on me wearing yet another “groutfit.” Guilty as charged, I suppose. I am wearing a lot of gray—but I know that the storm clouds will pass soon enough and the forecast calls for sun, eventually. So fret not—pretty soon I’ll be back to normal and wearing a lot less gray and a lot more black. 🤣🤣🤣

5. Anyone else having a problem with the new clean-shaven Johnny Depp? This comparison scared the sh-t out of me. I don’t care if it’s real or not. He looks like the love child of Rosie O’Donnell and Matthew Perry.

   

6. I’ve mentioned this one before and I’ll mention it again, mainly because it’s so important and so under-done (IMO)—make plans with the people who matter in your life. Stop talking about wanting to get together and pick a date for crying out loud. We went out last night with two people we love seeing—and time goes by too fast and there’s too much time between get-togethers, but we always lock in a date and I’m always grateful when we do. Make the plan. Have the fun.

7. Elections are coming up and I raise it now to give you time to educate yourself on any local meaningful ballot questions. You know, the ones you tune out or fast-forward through the ads for? The trigger for me here was this—yesterday I got an email from a local (small) liquor store urging me to vote “yes” on Question 3 which reminded me that on Tuesday I had gotten a similar email from a big box (large) liquor chain urging me to…you guessed it…vote “no.” I don’t know what I am voting yet (though I suspect I’ll side with the small business) but I do know that I need to do my research before November 8th). Gotta go into my local polling place well-informed!

8. Also speaking of elections…we live in a world where an Oprah Winfrey-made man named Dr. Oz and the misogynistic and hypocritical former football player Herschel Walker are making national headlines as viable Republican party candidates. For real. (And the fact that Gloria Allred has managed to get in the mix on the legal side of the Herschel Walker abortion payment allegations is classic Glo!) Friendly reminder: get informed and vote. Not by party. By issues that matter to you (and impact people you (claim you) love). An abortion is between a woman, her doctor, and local police leaders? Come on. One of these things does not belong!!!

9. To stay on the subject of politics…did they find out that Liz Truss killed the Queen after all? Is that why she went away so soon? Seriously, don’t most teenagers working at a local drive thru last longer than she did as PM???

10. I have this one hair-styling product called “Unbreak My Blonde.” I don’t use it every day, but every time I use it you bet I end up singing “Unbreak My Heart” while I blowdry.

11. Monday was a really tough leg day at the gym and then later that afternoon I went to Town Hall to avail myself of a flu shot (was signed up for one at work but got shitcanned before they held the clinic) and the (relatively) new Bivalent booster. Needless to say I woke up Tuesday walking like a cross between the Tin Man and a toy soldier, barely able to move my arms or legs…but all is settled down now though I give a slight edge to the booster in terms of upper arm pain. I had no major side effects otherwise.

12. My first cousin Steve (his mom was my dad’s oldest sister, Aunt Mary) was an old-school daredevil, Steve went over Niagara Falls in a barrel twice (and he once was a Jeopardy clue for being the youngest person to do it; the second time was as part of a tandem plunge) and his interview with Johnny Carson after he first went over is legendary (as far as family legend goes).

    He also swung off the Golden Gate bridge, the George Washington Bridge, and the Sunshine Skyway Bridge (in Tampa, and there’s a Dateline episode of that, on YouTube in two parts, the first here and the second here), and I think he got arrested for all of it. He appeared on the very-1990s (and short-lived) game show Studs. And who knows what else he might have done? Most recently he was in the middle of raising money for his next stunt, hoping to become the oldest person to go over the Falls in a barrel. I’m putting this one out there (not looking for an ounce of sympathy—we really weren’t close) because I want to put everyone on high alert re: looking out for loved ones. Steve seemed like a happy-go-lucky guy, and like all daredevils, he appeared to fear nothing. But in the end, the sad truth is that he was afraid of at least one thing—living. Steve took his own life on October 14 in his adopted home state of FL. The moral of the story is simple: keep your eye on people, and keep your arms open to them...and if you must reach out and grab them to keep them safe, so be it. Just take care of each other. And as far as cousin Steve goes, I hope more peaceful waters are flowing around him on the other side.

13. I don’t want to end on a heavy note, so let’s make it a baker’s dozen of thoughts. I only brought up the tragic turn of events with Steve because I want us all to be here for each other, always. But to reverse the dynamic, this should help. Stand up. Mimic Katrina. Dance it out.

    Feels good, right? (The 80s are solid gold.)

I’m more grateful than ever to be sharing this space—and part of my life—with you. Thank you.

Happy Friday Eve. Love you too.