Sunday Morning Post (V.2, #25) – End of the Month Satirical Clearance, Clarence

This week, a modified version of what I used to label Snort Bites when I could muster up at least one paragraph on a minimum of three unrelated topics, but not enough to fill my customary 7-11 paragraph entry. 

 

TOO WHITE-COLLAR FOR X, TOO BLUE-COLLAR FOR Y

This may turn out to be the beginning of an intermittent series of lists in which I contemplate my attitudes towards certain things and thus settle into a niche somewhere in the societal hierarchy.  We hear all the time about blue-collar workers and white-collar workers, the difference between those who roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty to put food on the table, and those sophisticated individuals who dirty their hands through other means.

Kids, google “exploitation of the workers” for more information about the white-collar place in the hierarchy, but I digress.

This may be our shared attitudes towards stereotypes talking, but there are more differences between the color of our collars then meets the eye.  Each group has a set of values and beliefs which I reckon are hard wired into each individual.  I like to think I’m in the middle between these two value systems. I have a little of both: raised in a blue-collar middle-class household, but possessing a college degree which enabled me to acquire a modicum (i.e., not much) of intellectualism.

For example, I have determined that I am too white-collar for country and western music, but I am too blue-collar to really appreciate opera.  (Apologies to Spo.)

I am also too white-collar for Thunderbird, but too blue-collar for snobbish high end, out of my middle-class pay scale, sipping whisky.  (Again, apologies to Spo.)

That’s a good start for this list.  Do any readers have any thoughts on their relationship between white and blue collars?

ANNOYING HABITS OF THE PRESIDENT

I really shouldn’t care about the President peccadillos, but I just have to spout off about some things about him that really annoy me. 

First annoying habit: constantly displaying his ignorance of the American Constitution and democracy.

Second annoying habit: when he steps up to the lectern to speak to his subjects (I am not one of them), he has to adjust the microphone which is in a perfectly good position in the first place.  Yo, Mr. President, stop playing with the microphone like it’s your dick!  If only the microphone could sprout arms and fists to fight back.  

Again, readers, please feel free to chime in with any Presidental habits which annoy the crap out of you.

POLL AFTER POLL SHOWS JOE BIDEN WITH A DOUBLE-DIGIT LEAD OVER PRESIDENT PLAYS-WITH-DICK

I am heartened by the news that our former Vice President is showing strong numbers going into the Democratic National Convention, which is wisely being done virtually due to the pandemic.  If memory serves me correctly, Hillary Clinton was enjoying a similar lead over The Donald in the summer of 2016 and she ended up losing anyway.

Then the Access Hollywood tape surfaced which showed The Donald bragging about his ability to treat women — live, breathing women with souls — like they were nothing more than a play thing to be grabbed, used and thrown over his shoulder when he finished playing with them.  Such a revelation previously spelled the end of many (male) political careers and by all rights it should have ended The Donald’s race to the Oval Office.

And Hillary still lost…

Keep it up Uncle Joe!   You don’t far to go now!

(Thank you for reading, and as the late Michael Conrad would always say in Hill Street Blues: “Let’s be careful out there.”)

Sunday Morning Post (V.2, #24): Reflections on Dad and a Grand Dame

First Reflection: on Father

Today is Father’s Day, and if my Dad were still around, I would try to track down a supply of his favorite delicacy: oysters.  I don’t recall that he would ever treat himself to a meal of these at home, but if they were on the menu wherever we were when we went out, he would make sure to order them.  It didn’t matter if they were fried or in a stew, they were fair game. 

Another random thought about my father:  given today’s racial tensions — which seem to spike and ebb with passing events — I believe my father would have understood why tensions are so great right now.  I have no doubt that he was exposed to a lot of ethnic vulgarities as he grew up in Northeast Philadelphia, but he was careful not to expose my brother and I to the same environment.  I only recall that he only uttered one racist term in all the years I knew him.  I refuse to believe that one offense should be used to judge his beliefs throughout his lifetime.  

So, I will take a moment today to think about Raymond Thomas Gunther and all the wonderfulness he did impart to both of his sons.  Thanks, Dad.

Second Reflection: Dame Vera Lynn

I am almost embarrassed to say that I was introduced to Vera Lynn, as many of us were, by Stanley Kubrick.  His use of her best remembered performance (We’ll Meet Again) at the end of his surreal satire on modern global political confrontations was a worthy use of the song’s optimism for mankind’s survival.  Dr. Strangelove was fictional, of course, but the “what if’s” of the films premise is not very comforting.  Fortunately, Vera Lynn offered the comfort a full generation before when a very real confrontation threatened to destroy the world.

I was saddened to hear of her passing this week at the relatively young age of 103.  From all that I have read about her she appears to have lived a nice full life. She lived long enough to see her song inspire all of us again for the current global health crisis.  No doubt it will continue to be used in the future to help us all get through this sometimes a blessing, sometimes a curse called life.

We’ll remember her and her message here with a performance from the same titled film released in 1943.

(Thank you for reading.  RIP Dame Vera Lynn.)

Sunday Morning Post (V.2, #23) - The Weekend To-Do List

Many of us concoct a set of tasks to do within a certain time period. Most of us write these lists as a set of reminders.  This week’s to-do list was actually composed yesterday. Herewith a peek at my set of tasks for this weekend along with a progress report.

Write to do list.

Pending. I realize that this might be considered cheating, but crossing this off my list will be good for my psychological well-being.  It gives me a sense of accomplishing something useful.  Actually, making a to-do list is an ongoing project with me.  As I finish one goal, I think of other things which need to be done and I had those to the list.  Okay, if you consider the inclusion of this task a form of cheating, then please feel free to report me to the National Council of To-Do Lists.

Arrange pills for the week.

Pending.  This is a tedious Sunday morning ritual of arranging my 20 medications in a day-designated pill container.

Feed/water vegetables.

Pending. Today my tomato and cucumber plants will get their weekly dose of Miracle Gro.

Weed garden.

Pending and will be done sometime this afternoon, when I am outside doing task #3.

Balance checkbook.

Completed.

Kitchen related projects.

Pending.  A few cooking projects for meals throughout the week: turkey vegetable soup, cole slaw or macaroni salad will be made.  Unless my energy crashes and I take a two-hour nap.  If the latter happens then I will have leftovers for lunches.

Slice bagels purchased at the grocery store yesterday. 

Completed.  Best done the same day they are brought home when they are still soft.  Once they harden, it is best to use a chain saw to slice them for toasting.

Wish President Dump Happy Birthday in this week’s blog entry. 

Yeah right!  What am I thinking? This will never ever happen here. 

Bore wife with details about the Star Wars film(s) broadcast this weekend on cable television. 

Warrior Queen never caught the Star Wars bug and I don’t believe she has ever seen one frame of any of the 900 or so films in the series.  I can’t even get a rise out of her when I say things like, “Jar Jar Binks?  Seriously?  What was George Lucas thinking?” 

Compose blog entry. 

Pending and nearly done.

And that is it for this weekend.

(Thank you for reading.  Task #9 completed for those of you playing along at home.)