Canceled Culture

No, I’m not talking about the current trend where I’m certain I would be summarily canceled for politically incorrect thoughts. Our long sought after vacation to the Holy Land and Italy has been postponed for a whole year. You might have heard, there’s a war going on over there so any complaints I may have about the inconvenience would and should be instantaneously ignored. The Favorite Panamanian was nervous about going over there and I didn’t think it was appropriate to go any place and pay to get shot at. All the times that’s happened in my life I was reimbursed for it, albeit at the pauperly military rate. The good news is the travel agency has rebooked the entire trip with the itinerary intact for 2024. That should give the Israelis the time they need to wipe out that nest of vipers.

The war took a dramatic turn yesterday with the bombing of a Gaza Hospital. It turns out the Palestinians did it to themselves. The Israelis have provided unassailable proof the missile came from the Palestinian side, including an intercepted phone conversation between two senior Hamas figures admitting it was done by Islamic Jihad. One of the missiles aimed at Israel “malfunctioned” and landed on the densely packed hospital which is tragic. I put that in quotes because the jury is still out on whether this was intentional of just rank incompetence. Hamas has ignited the Islamic world claiming it was an Israeli air strike so it serves them and they already have proved definitely that they could care less about the loss of their citizens with their ill-advised attack. I’m sure their Iranian masters are happy.

It’s been a quiet week on the home front, lots of Man Cave time, hence the puzzle completion and the number of movies sent down range. We’re in that transition period as the nights are getting colder (better sleep) and longer. Speaking of sleep, I discovered a new technique to fight insomnia which had inflicted itself on me over the last month. After brushing teeth prior to bed, I adjourn to the other master bedroom so as to not interrupt certain Panamanian’s beauty sleep. I watch late night television there for about fifteen minutes until I start dozing off and then return to the marital bed and fall asleep almost immediately. “Experts” say the last thing you should do is watch tv while trying to fall asleep but apparently, it’s the magic bullet for me.

Latest Puzzle Finished

I’m getting excited for the weekend (I know – huge surprise). We’re heading back up to Keene for the resurrected Pumpkin Festival. This cherished event was canceled after the Keene State College kids turned it into a campus riot (A-holes). It’s coming back as a smaller, family friendly event. The ABFA (a weekend birthday girl), my son, and their progeny are journeying across the state to participate. We’ll all link up at that venerable headquarters for Pumpkin Fest celebrations, Keene Friend’s house. I can only hope the college administration has put their idiots on notice.

Four movies fell in my A-Z watch, all keepers: Godfather II, only sequel to outdo the original; Godfather III, sad conclusion to the trilogy, Sophia is an absolute disaster but as part of a trilogy am keeping it; Gods Of Egypt, was certain this was going to be eliminated but it’s got some sneaky charm; and Godzilla, (1998 version), better than I remembered, rained the whole movie.

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RECURRING CHARACTERS:                                     

ABFA – Amazing Best Family Athlete - my daughter in law; BR3 – Blog Reader #3 – granddaughter #3; BRS - Blog Reader the Sequel - second granddaughter; Cantankerous Friend – friend since grade school who likes to argue about everything, poses as radical leftist to attract women; CRC - Connecticut Riverboat Captain – another close friend from high school, renowned sailor of the big river; Curbside Girls – close friends of my daughter acquired during him her single days in Brooklyn; Deckzilla – our backyard deck which grew to monstrous dimensions once my wife got involved in planning; Favorite Panamanian - the wife (of course); FBR - First Blog Reader - first granddaughter; First Friday – celebrations to mark the First Friday of the Week; Great Aunt - my elder sister; Keene Friends 1 & 2 – friends since high school from my home town of Keene, NH; Kindergarten Friend – friend since kindergarten whom I reunited with after many years; Maine and Virginia Musqueteras – two close friends of my wife – her US sisters, my wife is the 3^rd Musquetera (musketeer); Namesake Nephew – son of Great Aunt and Soxfather named after me; Neighborhood Mafioso - wife's close friend and Panamanian mafia member; PanaGals – female relatives /friends of my wife from Panama; Panamanian/Latin Mafia – inevitable group of Latino friends my wife accumulates wherever we have lived & their spouses; PCR - Pittsburgh College Roommate– high school friend, also a “Minor Celebrity” in Pittsburgh; PCR+1 - Pittsburgh College Roommate’s wife; Riggins - also known as the Grandpuppy, son's dog; Soxfather - my brother in law; Tia Loca – wife’s younger sister; Wingman – my son in law; Wingmom – Wingman’s mom, of course