Don’t Look Up

I know that I’m probably a little tardy to the party, but mom and I watched the movie “Don’t Look Up” this weekend. And let me just say- I 1000% loved this movie! And it made my tummy oogy the entire time, which really goes to show how well it’s done.

Fuck is it an uncomfortable movie to watch!

Thankfully, I had zero clue what the movie was about going into it or I probably wouldn’t have watched it. All I knew was that it had a “cast of thousands” with tons of big names. Which, let’s be honest, can be a good or bad thing. In this case I think it worked.

In case you don’t know what it’s about: two astronomers (Di Caprio and Lawrence) discover a new comet and calculate that it’s on a collision course with earth. They then have to go on a media tour to basically get the world to believe the science, which turns out to be a hard sell.

Now, if I’d have seen the whole Armageddon/Deep Impact/Greenland plot point, I would have never watched the movie. I don’t like “disaster movies” as a genre and I really don’t like “earth extinction” movies. But this movie is really SO MUCH MORE than this.

Using the “comet/life extinction” trope was a perfect choice for this film. Because this film is about the extinction of humans because of our own folly as it surrounds media. The whole thing is a fucking brilliant allegory to our current world- right now. So much so, that it is downright uncomfortable to watch because it hits so close to home.

The comet trope is just the impetus. It needed to be an extinction event so big and important that it should get everyone’s attention immediately and start a survival plan. Only it doesn’t. Because the world is so self absorbed and beholden to media and their phones and the latest celeb gossip that people don’t believe it or just don’t care.

Irony abounds.

From the vilification of the scientists on social media, to media trying to spin their message for “views” to the president not acting on the comet until it was “politically expedient” to the Gates/Bezos character trying to get rich off the comet minerals— it’s all absolutely crazy. And all too real.

The vapid Entertainment Tonight show and hosts are perfect. The Trumpesque president is perfect. The deniers chanting “DON’T LOOK UP!” a la “stop the steal” is perfect. And a fucking pop princess doing a song to “highlight comet awareness” is just a goddamn cherry on the sundae.

And don’t get me started on the whole “phone, social media, and data mining” commentary of the movie. Jesus is that whole thing scary accurate!

“Don’t Look Up” takes the craziness of the past decade (and the last 5 years especially) and ramps the crazy to 11 to highlight just how fucking crazy our world is— and how much worse it could get if we let this shit continue.

Sure it’s divided the critics. Some say it’s too “messagey”, that it blames media too much. That it’s clumsy and heav-handed blah blah blah. Whatevs.

I’m telling you- it’s brilliant. It is also extremely uncomfortable to watch. Like, you will be screaming at the movie “Why aren’t you people trying to stop the comet?!?!!!?! Are you all taking crazy pills?!???!”

Seriously. The movie is still with me two days later.

Furr-iday

Welp, the job didn’t want me. So I need comforting. Lots and lots of comforting.

How many fingers?

Coffee? Yea? Oar me?

Livin with my Bitches #Live

Oh really?

San Francisco or Bust

Broken Ken Doll pose

Enter here

Whoopsie

The most important meal of the day

I’m afraid of heights

Hey boy

No pics before Espresso

I don’t wanna get up, Dad

Sir, your Lyft is here

Check out mah tan lines

Did you call for a handyman?

Job 3.0

I had another zoom interview for the job I’m currently in the running for. I believe it went pretty well, which is cool. I interviewed with the retiring quality manager, and we spoke for over an hour.

Many of my questions about the position, the corporate culture, and my new, potential manager were answered. And I’m not swayed off the job… yet. There may be a bit more travel than I’m used to, but nothing that’s a deal-breaker. And the recent acquisitions and growth have added additional work to the position.

So now I wait for next steps. I’m not super anxious about this. Either they will want me… or they won’t. I’m not currently as desperate to leave my current situation as I was to leave my prior job, so I can wait. And if it doesn’t pan out, perhaps I go in a different direction altogether.

Plus I’m not 100% sold on this new opportunity. Much of it sounds better than my current job but I still am a bit gun shy. Plus, since I don’t love what I do (it’s just money) I don’t know if I feel good about committing to them if I am not fully invested.

We’ll see. I mean, the benefits alone would make it better for me.

Losing My Mind…

AND my vaccine card!

The good news is that I didn’t really lose my card- I just thought I had. And then I panicked about it for a few day until I located it. No big whoop.

I have a pending trip to Palm Springs in about a month. And as I’m a planner (and haven’t travelled in 2+ years) I wanted to make sure I was well-prepared. Which meant having access to my vaccine card. So, I went to my kitchen cupboard where I keep all sorts of documents… and it was t there.

What?!?

Now, this cabinet is sort of my “holding area” for various documents. Things like extra insurance cards, tax documents, donation records, car registration info, property tax docs, etc. All the documents I occasionally need access too before they become relegated to my fire safe. My vaccine card is one of those. Or was. Or should have been— only I couldn’t find it there.

Retracing my steps, I knew I had it for my 3rd shot. And I had taken a picture of it at that point, so at least I had that record. And I was fairly confident that I took it out of my wallet and put it in the small basket that I have in this document cupboard that collects the smaller sized items.

But I had gone through this basket initially and I couldn’t find it.

So I started tearing up my condo. Other drawers. Other cabinets. My dresser. Coat pockets. Trouser pockets. My stack of mail. I even went through my safe, even though I was decently confident I hadn’t put it in there. All to no avail.

To hedge my bets, I got an online app which shows my vaccine records, which might serve as proof of vaccination (or should). Plus I had my picture on my phone. I also requested vaccine information from the state because that takes up to 30 days given the bureaucratic process of it all.

During this, minneapolis enacts proof of vaccination for bars, restaurants, etc. which form of proof they accept, I don’t know. And what was I going to do on my trip, if they wanted to see an actual card?

So I meticulously went back through the doc cupboard and basket. And there it was.

It had become tucked into the fold of another document (an insurance doc) so I hadn’t found it the first searches. It took actively opening and sorting all my docs to find it.

Jesus.

But at least I have it now. And it will soon reside in my safe, because that little fucker is like a wonka golden ticket.

Furrr-iday

On this cold, snowy, winter storm Friday, I know I could use a little warm up….

Nothin’ officer— just sitting here.

Whachu lookin at punk?

Peek-a-boo

Who wears short-shorts?

Thirsty?

You like fitness bro? How bout fitness in your mouth.

Do I have enough yellow shirts?

Did I leave the iron on?

Don’t get dressed on my account.

Can you taste tattoos?

Nice labia.

Free Mustache rides.

Li’l Bastard Comix

Because we all need a lil Bastard in our life.

Pretty Sure I had Covid…

So, if I were a betting man, I’d say I just had a bout of Covid. This after being triple-vaxxed too. At this point, given the “California wildfire” spread of the Omicron variant, I firmly believe it’s just a matter of time until everyone takes a turn with it.

My issue? I didn’t get tested. So I don’t know for sure for sure. 😬

I think it was right after Christmas, or thereabouts. The problem is, I was looking for all the old Covid symptoms: loss of taste, fever, headache, fatigue, dry cough, breath is issues. I didn’t really have that. I had a very slightly runny nose, and a slight wet cough. maybe I was a bit more tired than normal, but with Christmas concerts and the holidays and work and such, when am I NOT tired?

Because basically any sickness now is automatically assumed to be Covid, I wondered if I might have it. I looked for a home test, but didn’t find any available. Admittedly I didn’t scour all stores though, and kind of gave up. Mainly because of that denial of like “this doesn’t really fit in with what I was expecting”.

I didn’t learn until later that Omicron is presenting a bit differently and has some different symptoms. So, looking back, I might have had it.

I kinda isolated and used a mask (like usual). I didn’t go to the gym for a few days. But that was kind of it. Mostly I didn’t notice much and it sort of felt cold-like.

I am also noticing that we have had work exposures here. People are mysteriously “out” and only one is known Covid positive. But I’m also hearing sniffles, sneezes, and coughs around too.

I’m still masking up and washing hands and using sanitizer, but I know deep down that personably everyone here at work is gonna be hacking and spreading germs sooner or later.

Much like most of the public at this point.

P.S. I feel ok currently— no snot, cough, etc. I’ve been able to work out. And taste my food. Let’s hope I can Keep it that way.

Comics I Enjoy

I do like an artist with an edge.

That’s So Raven!

So, as I was at the gym yesterday, I caught part of the Baltimore Ravens football game. And they kept showing number 89, and even in the helmet I was like “who is this???”

Now, I know juuuuust enough about football to be dangerous. From his number and where he lined up, I could tell he was a tight end. A BIG tight end. Like Gronkowski sized.

Allow me to introduce Mark Andrews. He’s 26. 6’5”. 256 lbs. And ever so dreamy!

Damn. Now that’s some prime, Grade A beef.

And THEN! I’m watching 60 Minutes and they do a story on football kickers. Specifically one of the best in the game, who also happens to be… a Baltimore Raven. And also ridiculously hot!

Allow me to introduce Justin Tucker. He’s 32. 6’1” and 183 lbs. He is the most accurate kicker and holds the record for the longest NFL field goal at 66 yards.

Oh, and did I mention he sings opera?

Yeah. Droooooool.

Poetry Corner

I don’t know if I have written about this in my blog before, but I like poetry. I mean, I’ve been keeping a blog fairly religiously for years now, so it’s fair to say that I like writing. I’ve written a couple short stories in my time and eventually I want to complete a novel. But in the meantime… poetry.

There was a time in my life (in my early to mid 20’s and into my 30’s) where I was writing poetry. I would experiment wit different forms and structure, etc. And I know this will sound snobbish, but for me poetry has to have a definite structure to it for me to like it. Structure meaning rhyme scheme or specific meter and feet. I don’t think of free verse as poetry— it’s more just bougie prose.

So most of my poetry is metrical in some fashion. And a poem for me usually starts as some interesting metrical and florid sentence fragment or idea. And then I’ll scribble it down and scribble some adjacent thoughts. And then see if I can make it into a coherent idea with rhyme. And the rhyme scheme I vary in order to get the flow. Like A-B-A-B or AABB or AABBA OR ABCAC… you get the idea.

And therein lies the fun for me.

I love the challenge of trying to get a coherent picture across in a constrained metrical structure. And then the delicious challenge of trying to find the mot juste that fits the meter and rhyme scheme and still conveys what I want it to convey. Scouring the English language for words is the fun (and often supremely frustrating) part.

While I finish poems (rarely are they finished in one setting or without multiple edits) I don’t know if I’m ever satisfied with them. None of them feel “perfect” or fully realized to me. So I almost never share them with anyone. I just don’t want folks reading them and going, “Eh.”

This frustration and disappointment led me to kind of stop writing poems for awhile. Like a long while. But then we had chorus on Tuesday night. And a couple of the songs we are singing have such nice lyrics and form that it got my juices flowing. (We also sang a composition by our director where I may have contributed some of the lyrics, so…)

So I wrote a poem yesterday. It was based on Carl Sagan and his Cosmos work. The germ for the idea was Carl’s quote about us being made of “star stuff”. I always liked that. Star stuff. I guess I was thinking about it because we’re singing a piece about stars set to a poem by Sara Teasdale (I quite like her).

Anyway. Star stuff. So I googled this and googled Carl and watched a couple video clips of Carl talking about our connection to the stars. I jotted down some of the language he used— And ideas started to flow.

The initial fragments of ideas I came up with were:

Galactic children born
From fiery mantles torn
Forged in nuclear hearts

So I have mostly formed poem now. Again, I’m not fully happy with it, so there may be edits to come. But I think I’d like to use it and set it to music. Music that I also write.

We’ll see though. We’ll see if I can let go of the idea of perfection enough to let it go out into the world.

EDIT: I revisited the poem today. I revised my syllabic structure to 7 beats per line. Adjusted some wording. Moved a line or two around. And I gotta say— this is I think one of the most profound and pleasing poems I’ve created. I’m kind of chuffed about it!