Five years ago today Diamond’s office shut down for COVID and went work-from-home. Tomorrow, bids for Diamond’s assets are due to the bankruptcy court. When work-from-home started, I was writing the May 2020 catalog, which went unpublished. Yesterday, I began writing the May 2025 catalog. This has been the longest month. Before the COVID shutdown,Continue reading “March 1844, 2020”
The Madness of King Donald
America has no king.America needs no king. Seen on the official White House Twitter feed. Donald Trump, calling himself a king. A king. Donald Trump increasingly reminds me of Denethor. As he threatens our nearest neighbors, as he covets lands governed by our allies, as he spurns decades-long alliances and parcels up territory not hisContinue reading “The Madness of King Donald”
Hyde Park on Hudson
Speaking of FDR, over the weekend I found at Community Aid, a charity shop chain here in Pennsyltucky, Hyde Park on Hudson, starring Bill Murray as Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Laura Linney as his cousin, Daisy Suckley. I had heard of and been curious about this movie and was under the impression that it hadContinue reading “Hyde Park on Hudson”
More Things I Do Not Need
Facebook continues to astound in the ad department. I wrote a few weeks ago about ugly, unlicensed baseball shirts, and with Spring Training about to begin, Facebook has even more to show me. Honestly, I don’t hate this. A Chicago Cubs bowling shirt! Would I wear it, though? Oh, absolutely not. It looks like itContinue reading “More Things I Do Not Need”
Public Service Announcement
This blog will not comply with the Gulf of Mexico nonsense out of the White House. This blog will never refer to Greenland as “Red, White, and Blueland.” Things have names. We will continue to use the proper, historical names. This blog will not abandon reason for madness.
A Bad Match
Oh, Indeed. You amuse me. You amuse me! I am exploring the job market for reasons outlined earlier, and yesterday evening I received a customized job alert for a local job. Very local. Like, a mile and a half from where I live. I could walk there. But. It’s not Bethlehem United Methodist Church anyContinue reading “A Bad Match”
A Memoir of the Klingon Invasion of Stardate 3800.0
Captain’s Log, Stardate 3800.1We have received orders from Admiral Turner at Starfleet Command, Priority One. A massive Klingon incursion into Federation space, led by General Gorrel, threatens Federation headquarters. We are breaking off our survey mission in quadrant Procyon IV to counter this invasion. Captain’s Log, Stardate 3804.6We have been fortunate that the Klingon incursionContinue reading “A Memoir of the Klingon Invasion of Stardate 3800.0”
The Cheeses of Craggy Isle
The Church of England is soliciting the public’s input for the next Archbishop of Canterbury. There’s only one candidate, really. Yes, Father Ted Crilly is a Roman Catholic priest, but if called upon, I am sure he would embrace the Church of England faster than Father Jack can move when he sights an unattended bottleContinue reading “The Cheeses of Craggy Isle”
When I Thought About Learning Python
Two years ago I intended to learn Python. Then I never did. And there’s a story to that. What brings this up is an article I saw online a few days ago, “VBA vs. Python: Which is the best tool for Excel automation.” It began, as many such things do, with a work problem. WeContinue reading “When I Thought About Learning Python”
Getting Better
I’m getting better at this backgammon thing. I still lose half the time, but I’m getting the hang of it. I do think xgammon cheats, because it comes up with just the right role to do damage far too often to be chance, but broadly speaking, I’m holding my own. I cannot access Facebook onContinue reading “Getting Better”