Inspiration Where I can Get It

I watched some of the Senate hearings this week featuring our Health and Human Services Secretary. Oh. My. God. I cannot believe this bozo oversees our health system. This is something we’re going to be paying for in the years to come. I don’t comment much on politics anymore here because both sides of the equation have dug in and nothing can be said/written to let them see the truth about a possible middle road. I believe our future lies in finding that middle road politically and consigning the fringe elements that control both our major political parties to the dustbin of history. But still, Yikes! As shocked as I was about what he was saying, RFK Jr. (his dad must be in a constant spin in his grave) provided me with some inspiration. My Favorite Panamanian and I went out to get our flu and Covid vaccines on Friday.

Just a Flesh Wound

Wow, Just, Wow

We had already planned on doing this, but RFK Jr. provided an extra incentive since it was something he recommended against. The coolest part about this was the new technology the pharmacy employed. There’s a new injection system where the needle was encased in a plastic sleeve. The result was the first two injections I’ve ever received that I literally didn’t feel a thing, crazy. I didn’t escape without injury though as my Favorite Panamanian is not a fan of getting shots. Before she had her shots, she grabbed my hand to hold during the injections. The combination of her nails and the strength of her grip resulted in some palm damage. I swear I could see her nails emerging from the other side of my hand. It was only after she realized the shots didn’t hurt at all that she released her death grip. I’m hoping the tendon damage to my hand is only temporary 😊.

BRS At Soccer Practice Today

And BR3

We wanted the shots so they would be in effect for our upcoming European trip. I forgot that I have, in recent years, acquired a sensitivity to the Covid shot. I was reminded when I woke up at 1am this morning shivering. My wife soon noticed and employed one of those weighted quilts to help out. This did the trick, but I still spent a rough night dealing with the side effects. The shivering eventually quieted down, but I woke up this morning feeling drained. My resident nurse consigned me to the Man Cave to rest for the day (why so many A-Z movies fell). By noon I was rallying an little and as I write this in the late afternoon, I’m pretty much back to normal (or as normal as I ever get). A small price to pay for the protection the vaccines offer and I successfully dodged any Honey Do projects for the entire day.

BR3 Ready to Party This Afternoon

As Well as her Sister BRS

My Favorite Son is having a great weekend. The ABFA is at her annual “Goddess Weekend” on Long Island with her female friends. Before she left, she provided my son with the weekend’s agendas for the BRS and BR3. My son had to deal with two soccer practices this morning and two different birthday parties this afternoon, one each for the BRS and BR3. He was, strangely, looking forward to the challenge of hitting all the agenda items. He likes challenges. During last evening’s family Facetime call, he professed to have everything under control. For the first time in recorded history, BR3 wasn’t bouncing off the walls during the call. She actually appeared somewhat subdued. I’m guessing the rigors of her full week of kindergarten had sapped her energy levels (didn’t; think that was even possible).

Earlier in the week I snuck out to see a movie, Caught Stealing, by myself, a rare opportunity. I truly enjoyed this flick as Darren Aronovsky abandoned his usual uber-serious tone with an attempt at an Americanized version of a Guy Ritchie-type gangster dark comedy. Austin Butler confirms his movie star status as he effortlessly carries the complex plot through. He plays a NYC bartender who’s next door neighbor/drug dealer leaves him with the keys to his apartment as well as making him a target for competing gangsters and corrupt cops. This is one of those movies where the hero just can’t buy a break and has to deal with the aftermath of the choices he’s confronted with. The rest of the cast is great, if extremely expendable to the plot twists. A fun movie to watch as you cant help but root for Butler as he tries to survive. 

Eight movies fell in the A-Z watch, six keepers and two jettisons: Sideways – extremely funny dramedy about two dysfunctional friends in wine country; Silent Running – used to love this sci disaster flick but it hasn’t aged well – jettison; Silver Linings Playbook – hilarious movie about two psychologically damaged people who find each other; Sin City – groundbreaking special effects with partial black and white and gritty stories, and OMG - Carla Gugino; Sin City a Dame to Kill For – not as fun as the first one but still watchable, thank you Eva Green; Six Days and Seven Nights – jettison, silly rom com that I got for free when I bought my first DVD player; The Sixth Sense – so much fun to re-watch this knowing the truth; Skin Deep – very funny Blake Edwards sex comedy, the dueling fluorescent condoms still has me falling down laughing

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------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 her single days in Brooklyn; Czech Connection – Czech couple who’ve become good friends along with their daughter (the Czech Shadow); 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; Seis Amigos - two couples from our condo complex and my wife and I; Soxfather – my brother-in-law (whom I miss more than I can ever explain); Tia Loca – wife’s younger sister; Wingman – my son in law; Wingmom – Wingman’s mom, of course