There’s something about Thursday (aka Friday Eve), even when one isn’t working..the weekend beckons, boldly and brightly. I spend my weekdays looking for work, preparing myself for work, doing some things I’ve been putting off, etc., but it’s all unscheduled, amorphous. My busy-ness is in very different ways than when one is working a 9-5 job, and I have a lot more brain space that isn’t occupied by the inanities of a professional existence. In other words, my brain has more free time with which to do whatever it likes. Here is (some of) what it “likes” lately (🤦🏼♀️):
The other day I was cold, wanted more coffee, and it was before noon—but the pot of coffee was long gone. So I made myself a nice cup of Nespresso coconut coffee with a bit of salted caramel syrup and a little frothed milk. It was delicious. Why I don’t “indulge” more often, I will never know, but I am appreciative of the reminder that it is in fact the little things that make my heart happy.
Speaking of coffee, last week I mentioned Espresso Martinis and needing to brunch more so I could drink them during a time of day that they’d be less likely to impact my sleep. Well, didn’t I go to brunch at noon on Sunday, giving me the perfect opportunity to test the theory. It’s still early in the experimentation process but I think I am on to something.
Speaking of Sunday, and days of the week in general, when one isn’t working, the days all kind of blend together. The result is an almost-constant disorientation, and it’s not necessarily a good thing. Yes, I realize rigid scheduling can be constricting, but lack of structure can be too loosey-goosey to be liberating. I need to get back to work. But I can’t give myself a job. It’s a real conundrum.
Speaking of knowing or not knowing what day it is, I don’t think the shipping folks at Amazon know. Anyone else notice that Prime delivery has gone from 2 days to “whenever we get it to you”? And I’m not talking during the holidays when they blame the shipping companies…I’m talking bait and switcheroo. Oopsie…two *more* days…x2 is what I’m getting more and more lately.
I know I’ve said this before, but it’s an ongoing weekdaily irritation—Al Roker. I probably should find a new morning show. I can’t stand the guy. He kinda seems like a jerk to me. On top of being a goon. He fires up some nasty barbs and then shrugs and smiles, but I think he can be kind of mean-spirited. Uncle Al? More like Annoying Uncle Al.
Speaking of TV I know that The Bear (and it’s cast) have been winning awards lately…but in the “Comedy” category. I absolutely love the show, but I definitely wouldn’t characterize it as a comedy. I don’t even know that I consider it a dramedy. Larger question—who decides and what is the basic criteria???
Also speaking of TV, anyone else get queasy when the Sotyktu commercial for who-knows-what kind of pharmaceutical (extreme eczema?) comes on and there’s the guy in the red Speedo engaging awkwardly with his family and the world around him?
While I’m on the subject of TV, namely ratings and the almighty dollar, the NFL Sunday playoff games starting at 3 and 6:30 are a gift. Thank you for not torturing me with another 8:20 start. (That’s pretty much my bedtime.)
And while I’m still on the subject of TV, I love seeing Jodie Foster’s face plastered on the small screen, for a whole host of reasons. But what I especially enjoyed was seeing her talking about turning 60 and loving it. She referred to her 50s as “hard,” noting that you have to decide whether you want to compete with your younger self and that you’re constantly fighting to stay relevant. Seems the 60s bring you peace. I felt that, and so it gave me hope.
Related to TV, namely that it offers a fair share of drama and so too does The Spare…but Prince Harry is a living legend of aviation? 🤦🏼♀️ Don’t you have to be a certain age before you can be legendary? And doesn’t that certain age need to be older than 39??? (Also, is he an aviator?)
Speaking of the Royals, WTH is going on there in Jolly Old England? You’ve got the Queen Mum, Queen Elizabeth, and Prince Philip having lived to a combined age of 296 and now the “younger” generations are suffering from all kinds of afflictions and maladies, known and unknown, serious and less serious. (Think King Charles, the Princess of Wales 2.0, and Sarah Ferguson. Right? WTH?) (Also, I can’t think of one single American who would be hospitalized for two weeks for planned abdominal surgery. And I don’t think that’s necessarily a function of our shitty healthcare system. Two weeks?) (Do Harry and Meghan have a collection of voodoo dolls in Santa Barbara???)
Have we become too litigious of a society? You tell me. Madonna is being sued by two fans for starting her show too late and Dunkin Donuts is being sued for up-charging people for vegan substitutions for old-school dairy. (I think the former is an aging diva thing and the latter is a simple “it costs more” thing, but what do I know?)
Speaking of things that are wrong with society, I recently saw a headline about some G-list “celebrity” (the quotes because when you’re that far down the alphabet are you really a celebrity?) who had given their partner something controversial as a “push present.” Upon educating myself on what a “push present” is, I am forced to ask—what the f-cking f-ck? Is that for real, and am I the only thinks it’s kind of a vulgar and demeaning name for it???
Sticking with societal maladies, let’s turn to politics. I suspect I’ll have a few items on this topic. Tim Scott backing the Cheeto does not mean that the Cheeto is on board with Blacks or (closeted) gays. Though I suspect it does mean Tim Scott is thinking “VP.”
Speaking of Republican dropouts, just when I think I couldn’t hate him more, Ron DeSantis dropped out. He also is giving the Cheeto his endorsement, and in turn maybe giving him the nomination…and he will win if people don’t vote. Orange Grimace appreciates the endorsement of people he trashes. It doesn’t really make sense. But that’s politics. I suspect this means DeSantis is also thinking “VP.”
Speaking of VPs, will Joe pick Kamala to be his again? Any truth to the rumors that Dr. Jill is not a fan?
How is it possibly possible that a potential/looming indictment is the thing that seems to propel someone to a place on the presidential ballot? I have no clue, but here we are. Morals, scruples, obeyance of the law? Aren’t they founding principles? We can’t pick and choose elements of democracy to suit our egomaniacal agendas. Well, we shouldn’t be able to anyway. But, as I just said, here we are.
Speaking of the Cheeto, his commenting on Nikki Haley’s “fancy dress that probably wasn’t so fancy” was beyond inappropriate. What does he know about fancy fashion? Other than MAGA hats, his clothing line wasn’t what I’d call fancy…or particularly successful. And Ivanka’s “fancy” clothing line shut down amidst allegations of overwork and underpayment of Chinese factory workers. The guy is a buffoon. Seriously, what is the appeal??? Also, this is what his supporters look like, so not really all that fancy:
Speaking of Nikki Haley’s looks…and maybe it’s a little bit shallow or hypocritical (since my face confirms that I am not a proponent of cosmetic intervention 🤣🤣🤣), but even so Nikki Haley’s top lip could use a bit of plumping.
On the subject of plastics, Marie Osmond in the Nutrisystem Commercials is barely recognizable; I had to Google it to verify that it was in fact still her. She used to be a little bit country…now she’s a little bit Botox.
Looping back to the notion of hypocrisy and political stuff, Sarah Huckabee Sanders kind of scares me. And by that I mean I find her really f-cking terrifying. She was on Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan on Sunday morning and she served up some doozies. Like being “unapologetically pro-life,” and proud of Arkansas’s pro-life conviction. I wonder whether she is also pro-gun and/or pro-capital punishment? In other words, I wonder whether she is pro-hypocrisy? When the host raised the matter of Arkansas having the highest infant mortality rate in the nation and also having limited post-partum care, the Governor may as well have been auditioning for So You Think You Can Dance? or Dancing With the "Stars.” She didn’t come close to addressing the question though she was clear that her focus is squarely on preventing abortion—which isn’t exactly what I’d call “pro-life.” Seems kind of selective to me, protecting the lives of the unborn but, well, f-ck the living. But, again, what do I know?
Speaking of hypocrisy, if Biden had ever “mixed up” Nikki Haley and Nancy Pelosi like the Cheeto did…Biden would have been gutted…positively eviscerated…amirite? (ICYMI, it’s here.)
Speaking of politics, and the patriarchy they prop up, Ryan Gosling getting an Oscar nod for Barbie while Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig got snubbed shows that the patriarchy is alive and well. Maybe it was an honest talent thing and not a conscious and deliberate snub; maybe those categories were *that* overrun with talent this year. America Ferrera’s nomination would give that argument a bit of heft (though not much and good for America just the same—she was fantastic in it!). I haven’t seen an uproar among young women like this since the Great Taylor Swift Eras Tour Ticketmaster Fiasco of 2022.
If you haven’t updated your iPhone to iOS 17.3, please do as soon as you finish reading this, and turn on stolen phone protection by going to Settings > Face ID & Passcode > [enter passcode] > Stolen Device Protection > Turn On. If your phone is stolen, this feature essentially weakens the power of the thief. Protect yourself.
Two dozen thoughts seems like more than enough for now, but as I mentioned at the start, with the extra time I find myself with, my brain is freestyling on overdrive. I’m a vessel, overflowing, on the verge of flooding. 😂😂😂 I could keep going, but you have a day to get to.
Thanks for being here, as always. I appreciate you. I especially appreciate the outreach about the job sitch, the general support, and the specific support, namely from the one friend who, after reading about my colonoscopy in this space last week, texted to say that they were “glad to hear (your) anal probe went well 😜”.
As “they” say, the little things are the big things. In fact, I might have alluded to that in Item 1 above. Apparently I am they. 🤣🤣🤣
Happy Friday Eve. Have a great weekend.
Love you too.