I didn't watch HIM.

I thought maybe I'd try.  Then life got in the way and I just forgot about it.  In hindsight, I don't think I could have handled listening to him for that long anyway.  I don't know how I managed to watch any GOP primary coverage or the debates.  Just the sound of his voice sickens me let alone stopping to think about what he is actually spewing from his ignorant yob.

Glossing over headlines and a few quotes shows me that many pundits, including Van Jones, one of his most staunch detractors, actually praised him for being more presidential tonight.  Of course, all of his supporters are gushing over this speech.

I didn't watch, but I did read the transcript; that was hard enough because I can hear his nasty, condescending voice in my head.  Here's what I got out of it: for one night, he learned how to listen to his advisers and actually remain on task, stay calm and steady, stick to script, not embellish (lie) as much, and try to show some empathy.  The thing is he is a 70-year old man-child who is not going to change who he is at this stage in his life; seniors stubbornly hold firm to what they think they know, and it's hard to reign children in for long.  He is who he is as he has proven time and again over the past year and a half.  He is a showman, and he put one on tonight.

Most of what I read was unimpressive.  He continued his trend of throwing around big figures that rhyme with -illions, whether talking about how his "plans" are going to benefit the country or how previous actions have hurt it.  He jumped from subject to subject without much substantiation; all I got out of it was talking points meant to fire up his supporters.  And he shamefully used (and I mean that in the worst possible sense of the term) and manipulated the family members of tragedy and death to further his own agenda.

Just because he put on a slightly more soothing tone of voice, don't be fooled by the wolf in the henhouse.  Even with that tone, in the speech itself he flat out doubled down again on the boarder wall, repealing the Affordable Care Act without a real plan to replace it, and his essential "IMMIGRANTS BAD" stance,  Of course Congressional Democrats were not going to applaud or give a standing ovation to anything he said!  As a side note, I think that is one of the most ridiculous, over-used traditions (for lack of a better word) that our government employs; I cannot abide the constant up-down, up-down standing ovation given to presidents during speeches of this nature.  Save it for the big moments.

So, no 45, you are still not my president.  You did not prove anything new to me tonight.  You cannot snake oil your way through one speech while still signing orders to blindly deny anyone healthcare, eliminate the advancement of the arts, ignore science, and hinder human rights to all people.  Your so-called administration is the epitome of fascism, and there is absolutely no room for it in our nation.

#resist

I feel good today.

So time for levity with some of my favorite people I don't know!

I'm sure Steve Harvey is somewhere feeling vindicated tonight.

I don't watch the Oscars that often, if for no other reason than I don't end up seeing many of the nominated films before the show and I don't want any spoilers.  For some reason I felt compelled to watch tonight, even after only having seen a handful of the movies.  I tuned in about twenty minutes late as I was still commuting home from work, but what I did see, I thought it was pretty good.  It wasn't the best, but it had some moments that I laughed at, and I enjoyed all the honesty, sincerity, love, and respect.  Some bits carried on a touch too long (the bus tourist thing didn't fly quite like I think they though it would).   Kimmel isn't my favorite comedian, but I like him more and more as I pay more attention to him; he has certainly come a long way from The Man Show and being Ben Stein's dopey sidekick.

Did I not say sometime last month that Viola Davis could do no wrong and they should just hand her the Oscar then?  If you didn't see Fences, she really gave an outstanding performance and was immediately deserving to win tonight!  And what a speech!

I thought the political statements were all well done also.  Nothing over the top; just honest, level-headed, direct statements from people who have just as much right to protest and offer opinions as any of us.  Kudos to all.

But all the glitz and celebrity and parachuting snacks were instantly forgotten in the confusion of the last ten minutes with the wrong envelopes going out that caused the wrong Best Picture winner to be announced.  I have never seen chaos quite like that before.  I knew something was up when I saw Stage Manager guy bumbling around through the La La Land team.  Then nobody knew what to say, what to think, or where to go for a few minutes.  It was almost comical if so many people didn't just go through a flurry of 180-degree emotions so quickly.  In any case, let the memes fly!

So a big congratulations to all the winners, a huge apology from me that I haven't seen most of your films despite my best intentions (no award for that), and Steve Harvey, here's to ya - you're free!

You didn't think I'd let this one go??

Could there be a bigger baby in the history of world leadership??  Now he is skipping the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner because he thinks the press is picking on him.  This whole "The press is my enemy" bit is so tired and ridiculous.  I can't believe I'm agreeing with Howard Stern about anything, but he said it about three weeks ago:

"[H]e wants to be liked, he wants to be loved . . . He wants people to cheer for him . . . [H]e loves the press."

It shouldn't, but it continues to boggle my mind that this person truly believes that his ego is bigger than the country.  You know, I really hate to say these words, but somehow I think it's appropriate here for our Man-Child in Chief:

       

I live in a fascist country.

I suspect most of you reading live in the same one.

I found this gem tonight.  It is a similar list to one which has made its rounds over the interwebs lately, but I found this format intriguing:

                                 

I'm not sure when this was made, but the way I see it, we can now X off the last two boxes as he has now called for us to have MORE nuclear weapons despite a claim he would like to see no one have any; and the latest stunt in excluding several major reputable news outlets from a press briefing while allowing drivel like Breitbart.

So if these are the defining factors of fascism, then we did it!  We are a fully-fascist nation! Congratulations 'Murica!!  U.S.A.!  U.S.A.!  I am so proud of us!

Oh yeah, one more thing:



#resist

DeVos is not Umbridge.

I am deep into reading Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix with my son.  We just finished the chapter "Detention With Delores" wherein (SPOILER ALERT!) Umbridge forces Harry to "do lines" as his punishment, but not by traditional writing; rather she has a razor-sharp quill that magically cuts into the user's hand causing the poor soul to write in his own blood.  In this case, the writing disappears at the end of every sentence and Harry is forced to write over and over again until his hand is raw and bleeding. This goes on for hours over four nights until the words are physically cut into Harry's hand.

Delores Umbridge is that one teacher we all had growing up who had her own methods of teaching and discipline that every student feared and hated.  These teachers may not be pure evil, but we certainly thought they were at the time.

As we have been reading, I have been reminded of several memes of this kind that popped up when Betsy DeVos was selected and eventually (inexplicably) approved for Secretary of Education.

                 

I don't think this is an accurate comparison.  First, Umbridge's deplorable acts of discipline were NOT backed by Voldemort; she works for the Ministry of Magic, not the Dark Lord.  Second, while it's true neither Umbridge nor DeVos have any clue about education or teaching, Umbridge is at least smart and knows exactly what she's doing and for whom; DeVos is just an incompetent idiot.  It's almost too bad for 45 that Harry Potter is just a work of fiction; Umbridge may have been an even better fit for him for this position.  Then we'd have had this:

I am commenting on headlines today.

Yes, not a smart thing to do, and kind of hypocritical of me.  The thing is, after everything else 45 has done so far, I believe the headlines.  I don't think anything surprises me anymore - disgusts, yes; surprises, not so much.

So let's see, what have I glossed today?

• He is moving forward on his plans to kill public arts funding (which will save 0.0625% of the federal budget I believe I read from another headline).  Ironically this comes up at the beginning of member pledge drives.
• He is taking away protections from transgender students.
• His team was authorized to send out a second biased poll about the big, bad mainstream media because too many Democrats spoiled the first one.  I filled out this one.  I reluctantly had to supply my email to submit; I'm surprised my junk folder wasn't instantly inundated with pro-Trump spam . . . I'm sure it will show up soon.
• He is giving out lip-service condemning the rise of anti-Semitism in the country.
• There is a report that his entire staff spends a concerted amount of time and effort keeping the overgrown man-child happy.

I just have no words anymore.  Liberals had better show up in droves for midterm elections next year so we can take back Congress and get impeachment proceedings moving (I still don't believe enough Republicans will break party ranks to get rid of him sooner).  Once he is removed, we'll have Pence to deal with.  He is not much better - some say he's worse - but at least he has shown a tiny touch of humanity by telling the hecklers and the cast when he saw Hamilton that he wasn't offended they spoke their minds and reiterated an intention to work for everyone (that part hasn't happened yet, Mikey), and then a report today that he denounced vandalism in a Jewish cemetery.  And then there will only be two years of that, because I don't think Pence really wants to be President either.

Dear God, what have we come to??!! #resist

Sometimes our citizens make me proud, and many of our elected officials make me vomit.

I almost had nothing again tonight; an average, quiet day at work that lead into an uneventful evening (aside from the winter finale of Agents of SHIELD - damn it! - which I may touch on another time), but then I ran into this gem.

Now many of you will cry "biased source" and "fake news," and you may be right to do so.  Occupy Democrats is far from the most neutral source (the name, duh!).  But I site it today because of the videos this article includes.  The fact that so many constituents from both parties showed up to rail out against their Republican representatives in Washington to make their voices heard is a wonderful thing!  Also, the proof that so many of these representatives are cowards and avoid and/or ignore their constituents, WHO ARE THE PEOPLE THAT ELECTED THEM, makes me livid!  

So many career politicians have completely forgotten that our founders intended for us to govern ourselves. The patriots fought for independence so we would be free from a tyrannical king, not to just get away from one so we could appoint another.  Many of today's elected officials can't get past their own bank accounts to remember we send them to Washington or to the seats of local government or wherever to speak for US, not for themselves and their parties.  Their own ambitions and egos take over and the rest of us are summarily forgotten.  The fact that the over-ripe prune known as Mitch McConnell has the audacity to say "when you win the election you get to make policy. Winners make policy and the losers go home" (which was sourced by the AP, not just the Occupy article) just proves that he and so many politicians like him have forgotten their roles.  You get to "make policy" based on what WE tell you to make!  "Losers" don't "go home;" you all work together for the common good of the country.  Maybe you all need a little re-education; try this and then DO YOUR JOBS!

Let's talk about the BEU.

And by that I mean the Berlanti Extended Universe, which is the name I have given to the DC comics shows currently airing on The CW, named for their creator and Executive Producer Greg Berlanti. Specifically, let's talk about it's aging flagship show Arrow, which uses the hero Green Arrow as its central protagonist.

To sum up the show for the uninitiated, millionaire playboy Oliver Queen returns home after being stranded on a hellish remote island for five years with a personal mission to cleanse his city of all crime and evil.  To do that he assumes the identity of vigilante Green Arrow.  Along the way (read: the five years the show has aired), he puts together a mish-mosh team of people from all walks of life to aide him.

The show has kind of gone off the rails of late.  I continue to watch because I'm a dedicated viewer and because it is a shared world with the other shows on the network (The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, and the newly-acquired from the CBS trashpile Supergirl).  Arrow has become your faltering grandpa: you love him and listen to him out of respect for his age and experience, but he's just not all with it anymore.  It has been difficult to watch the show this season because Oliver has lost much of his original core team, who were characters you cared about, and they have been replaced by a ragtag group of other Green Arrow-inspired vigilantes who really don't work so well together and there isn't much for which to cheer.  Usually in a serial show like this, there is a story arc that carries it through a season.  This year, the arc is pretty weak and there doesn't feel like any resolution is coming.  Suffice to say, I've been disappointed this season.

That said, why is no one talking about last week's episode??!  It has a little tie-in to the show, but if the writers were to have taken that out, it would have worked very well as a stand-alone episode about our current national climate.  It is titled "Spectre of the Gun" and, while its main thrust is the old debate between Second Amendment purists and those of us who believe in sensible safety laws, it touches on the idea that if we are to get out of the divided quagmire we're currently in, we must stop and listen to each other.  It feels a touch preachy, but not in an After School Special kind of way, and you still respect it afterwards.  I encourage you to watch it; forget that it's a superhero show and just watch for what it's trying to say.  None of us is all right or all wrong, no matter how much we may try to will it into being.  Peace and love.

I got nothing tonight.

I have nothing new to add to the 45 rant, so I just want to say this in reaction to a couple of minor incidents I had while at work today:

DON'T BE A DOUCHEBAG TO SOMEONE PROVIDING YOU WITH A SERVICE!!!

#Peace

I'm really excited about my children's theatrical prospects.

I know I've talked about this before, but I had it reiterated and strengthened a couple of nights ago.  I took my kids to a movie theatre to see a filmed production of the musical version of Newsies; not a screening of the original 1992 movie that didn't well, but the revitalized stage play from a couple of years ago.  This video will give you a little taste of what you'll see if you attend the final showing next Wednesday, February 22, and I REALLY recommend you do, because the production was fantastic!

Now, when I brought up seeing this to my kids, especially my son, I wasn't quite sure what reaction I would get.  In trying to explain the story to them, what a strike is, how some business owners are greedy corporate bastards who feed off their lowly employees, I didn't know if they'd understand it. But they were both anxious to go, and so we did.

My daughter bounced along to every song, trying to sing along even though she really hadn't heard them before (except maybe in passing on the radio).  My son was riveted to the screen; I kept asking him if he was understanding what was happening and he insisted he did.  Both at intermission (yes, they put one in just like a real show) and when it was over, they both said they loved it!  They want me to upload the cast recording to their music apps on their tablets.  All in all, a successful evening of "theatre!"

It wasn't much of surprise that my daughter enjoyed it (at least the music and dance; she's only five, so the story probably went over her head a bit) as she has been the one to really show performance interest.  But the fact that this helped change my son's attitude about musical theatre warms me to no end.  Not that he was thoroughly disinterested prior to this; he has enjoyed listening to some things on the radio and has even asked to listen to certain cast albums in the past, but he wasn't a first-in-line kind of person before.  I really think this helped add to his interest.  I still don't think he'll want to be a performer, but as we drove home I told him about all of the different jobs in the theatre that are needed to make a show work.  

So while I don't expect either of my children to want to pursue a career in the theatre (although I am 100% behind them if they do), I like knowing I am giving them a great base, at least, for appreciation. If they can go through life enjoying it as much as I do, then I've done my job on that front.  I encourage you all to do the same, for your children and for yourselves.  Be well-rounded.  Appreciate the beauty in everything.  And get out and see a show!

I believe the books are better than the movies.

I do not like seeing a movie adaptation before I read the book.  I have missed many cinematic releases because of this.  I enjoy creating the world in my own head from the author's words first before having images thrust upon me by a director's vision.  I'm certainly not disparaging directors or screenplay adapters; there have been many fine films adapted from books.  I just want my own chance first.

The Harry Potter series is a perfect example.  I love the book series!  However, I came to it very late. I did not start reading the series until 2007.  Once I got started, I couldn't put them down (living in New York at the time and having long subway commutes, especially while on jury duty, certainly helped, but that's beside the point).  I finished Half-Blood Prince just as Deathly Hallows was released.  I got the latter from the library and knocked it out in the three weeks one gets from them (not particularly impressive as many mega-fans stayed up and read those huge tomes in one night, I know).

Because of my insistence on reading first, I only saw the last three movies in the theatre; I had to watch the others at home.  Now, while I enjoy the films, there is still something lacking with them for me.  I am in the middle of reading the series with my son (who has become a YUGE fan), and slowly getting through the movies with him, too.  We just watched Prisoner of Azkaban tonight.  As we have watched the movies together, I think I have figured out what the problem with them is: there is SO MUCH editing that a lot of Rowling's original fun is just lost. There are so many missing fun and poignant bits from the books that the movies sometimes feel rushed.  Sometimes things got edited out and then a passing reference is made to them later and it just makes no sense.  For instance, while watching Prisoner tonight, towards the end as Lupin is *SPOILER ALERT* turning into his werewolf self, Sirius makes a comment about Lupin not taking his potion that evening which is supposed to help him from transforming; not once elsewhere in the movie do they talk about that potion or that Snape is reluctantly making it for him, losing reference and deeper character development established in the source material.

Now of course I understand it is inevitable that edits and changes have to be made for a book adaptation, especially when you're dealing with novels as long as the Potter series, or the movie could be five hours long.  A. try explaining that to an excited six- or seven-year old who wants to see a movie be exactly like what he has read; and 2. there is my point: read and imagine for yourself first before letting Hollywood dictate to you what a fictional world should be, because once you get someone else's image in your mind, it can be hard to go back to your own.

#READ

This needs to be shared everywhere.

Full disclosure: I did not write this, but I am sharing it where I can; feel free to do the same. #resist

This is where I stand. I believe that our 45th President, his Cabinet, his administration, and the majority of Republicans in Congress are a real and active threat to me, my family, our democracy, and to all the people of this nation.
Some people are saying that we should give Trump a chance, that we should "work together" because he won the election and he is "everyone's president."
This is my reasoned response:
•I will not forget how badly he and so many others treated former President Barack Obama for 8 years.
•I will not "work together" to privatize Medicare, cut Social Security and Medicaid.
•I will not "work together" to build a wall.
•I will not "work together" to persecute Muslims.
•I will not "work together" to shut out refugees from other countries.
•I will not "work together" to lower taxes on the 1% and increase taxes on the middle class and poor.
•I will not "work together" to help Trump use the Presidency to line his pockets and those of his family and cronies.
•I will not "work together" to weaken and demolish environmental protection.
•I will not "work together" to sell American lands, especially National Parks, to companies which then despoil those lands.
•I will not "work together" to enable the killing of whole species of animals just because they are predators, or inconvenient for a few, or because some people want to get their thrills killing them (including Trump's sons)
•I will not "work together" to remove any persons civil rights.
•I will not "work together" to alienate countries that have been our allies for as long as I have been alive.
•I will not "work together" to slash funding for education.
•I will not "work together" to take basic assistance from people who are at the bottom of the socioeconomic ladder.
•I will not "work together" to get rid of common sense regulations on guns.
•I will not "work together" to eliminate the minimum wage.
•I will not "work together" to support so-called "Right To Work" laws, or undermine, weaken or destroy Unions in any way.
•I will not "work together" to suppress scientific research, be it on climate change, fracking, or any other issue where a majority of scientists agree that Trump and his supporters are wrong on the facts.
•I will not "work together" to criminalize abortion or restrict health care for women.
•I will not "work together" to increase the number of nations that have nuclear weapons.
•I will not "work together" to put even more "big money" into politics.
•I will not "work together" to violate the Geneva Convention.
•I will not "work together" to give the Ku Klux Klan, the Nazi Party and white supremacists a seat at the table, or to normalize their hatred.
•I will not "work together" to deny health care to people who need it.
•I will not "work together" to deny medical coverage to people on the basis of a "pre-existing condition."
•I will not "work together" to increase voter suppression.
•I will not "work together" to normalize tyranny.
•I will not "work together" to support more proliferation of guns in our society.
•I will not "work together" to eliminate or reduce ethical oversight at any level of government.
•I will not "work together" with anyone that thinks its OK to put a pipeline to transport oil on Sacred Ground for Native Americans.
•I will not "work together" with any proposed legislation that threatens marriage equality for all.
•I will not "work together" with anything or anyone that threatens the rights of LGBTQ individuals in any way.
•And I most certainly will not "work together" to cover up and ignore the scandals, criminal activity, lies, and deceit that is running wild like a deadly virus in the Trump White House.
This is my line, and I am drawing it.
•I will stand for honesty, love, respect for all living beings, and for the beating heart that is the center of Life itself.
•I will use my voice and my hands, to reach out to the uninformed, and to anyone who will LISTEN:
That "winning", "being great again", "rich" or even "beautiful" is nothing when others are sacrificed in the process.
If you agree feel free to copy and re-post (this results in larger numbers of people seeing a post).  Also, if we have left anything out, feel free to add it to this list.

Let's recap the latest, shall we?

So I've been a little out of the loop for a few days, so most of what I have is more headline than anything, so please forgive me a little ignorance.  As I understand it, here are "45's" latest failings, in no particular order:

• Meeting with PM Trudeau of Canada, he is unable to pull his dominance handshake and Trudeau flagrantly talks about the differences in ideals about immigration in a joint press conference.
• The unconstitutional and thoroughly un-American travel ban based on a religion is still being denied by courts.
• In a joint press conference with Benjamin Netanyahu, he turns a question about the rise in anti-Semitism into another chance to talk about himself and his election win, and mocks the Israeli leader when he doesn't give "45" a confident response to a statement.
• At least two of his cabinet picks have pulled out from consideration for their respective posts.
• He fired his national security adviser, under the guise of Flynn "resigning," with reports of a Senate committee investigation highly likely.
• His Russian connections are still looming over him like a not-so-subtle elephant in the room.
• Kellyanne Conway continues stepping in it, making her and Sean Spicer's jobs that much more difficult; she has been barred from "Morning Joe," of all shows.
• News outlets continue to defend themselves and their reporting, and not letting him or his staff get away with their BS.
• He essentially killed a Navy SEAL and several civilians in a botched raid.
• Republican Congress members are turning against him.

Man, I'm tired just from headlines let alone the actual meat of the stories!  The good news is piece by piece, the regime is being chipped away despite its best efforts to keep stable.  I still don't think anything major is going to happen until after the midterm elections - even with the few that have started talking, there won't be enough brave Republicans to stand against him now to turn any decisions; it will have to wait until they lose their seats late next year and the power swings back the other way.  But as President Obama was always so fond of saying, I'm trying to remember to "Choose hope" when I see the actions and strength of those who continue to fight.  The wall will topple, and I don't mean the ridiculous Mexican border idea.  Tyranny never wins. #resist

Kellyanne Conway is very good at her job.

By that, I mean her job of shielding, spinning, obfuscating, and deflecting.  Golf claps for Kellyanne! The castle is crumbling around him and she's still out there spewing sunshine and lollipops for ol' "45," just like the dutiful little yip dog she is.

I'm thinking I'm might finally join the Twitterverse.

I'm know I'm one of the last vestiges not on it yet.  My wife has said it's only a matter of time before I do.  I have been resisting for a long time because I really don't need another social media outlet taking up my time, and I certainly don't need a stroke to my ego to give false hope to my insignificance.

On the other hand, I have this odd sense that it might be kind of fun.  I don't usually get starstruck around celebrities, but I can't help but think about the giddy sensation I might get from trying to goad "45" into another tantrum (like he needs me to do that) or J.K. Rowling actually responding to a question.  To think this is the way we gain our own little anonymous fifteen minutes of fame now if you are clever enough to write something worth garnering attention that it gets copied and published elsewhere on the interwebs is an oddly thrilling prospect.  My inner attention-starved ten-year old self will eat this up.

Aside from that silliness, it's simply another tool to advertise.  So far I have a feeling that most of you reading this actually DO know me, and while I love you all for sharing this experiment with me, I am hoping to reach a wider audience.  I don't think my plugging each installment via Google is doing much.  It might be time to tweet up my opinions.  And speaking of advertisers, I know most run special offers and giveaways and contests over there; I've missed out on a lot.

So I haven't decided yet, but I'm leaning towards giving it a try.  Any opinions and/or insight are welcome!

Somebody stop me from making a big financial mistake.

I am a Minnesota sports fan.  As such, I am used to major let-downs by my teams.

• The Twins refuse to spend enough money to really invest in something worth watching, and whenever they happen to find a small scrap of gold among the rubbish, they sell (read: trade) it off before they can build around it.  Ergo, nothing really great since 1991 (and I shamefully wasn't even really a fan then, so I missed the greatest World Series in history).
• The Timberwolves just can't get out of their own way enough to maybe develop the new young talent they have actually found.
• I didn't stay home for college, so I don't care very much about the Gophers, but from what little I hear/understand from streaming Twin Cities sports radio, they just don't know how to run a collegiate athletic association.
• The Vikings are the worst because they taunt you with potential greatness, then get flooded with injuries, and one thing after another, every season inevitably falls apart.  This past year was, in my mind, the second-most "Vikings season" ever, only a step behind 2010, the year it culminated with the Metrodome roof caving in from snow.

And then there's the Wild, our young, scrappy, and hungry (it has been too long since I made a Hamilton reference) professional hockey team that, at the moment, is actually looking very legit. It can't be denied, they are damn good!  If you don't follow the NHL, to give you an idea of how good this team is right now, they are #1 in the conference standings and #2 overall in the league!  They are showing no signs of stopping.  And they're garnering some well-deserved attention, having just appeared on national broadcasts three games in a row, of which they took five out of six possible points to add to their standings.  I am thrilled to see this team doing so well!!

Now to the requested intervention: I started looking into maybe making a future's bet on the Wild to win the Stanley Cup.  The problems are a. I know nothing about sports betting; 2. I can't really afford that kind of investment (not that I'd go crazy); and 3. Because they are a Minnesota team, they'll collapse, get booted from the playoffs (probably by Chicago as usual), and again dash the hopes of every dedicated member of the team of 19,000.

So somebody other than my wife please talk me out of wasting time and money in this fool's errand before I give myself another imaginary fandom ulcer.  Thanks in advance.  And GO WILD!!

I took my kids to see The Lego Batman Movie tonight.

And man, is it a good time!!

I hadn't really paid much attention to any trailers or hype about the movie prior to its release this weekend.  It was going to be a throw-away movie for me; something I knew I'd probably be taking my kids to see, which was certainly confirmed when my son realized it was coming out the week of his birthday.  I haven't seen the entire original Lego Movie; somehow this new movie franchise hasn't gripped me in the same way their video games have, and I LOVE playing those!  Needless to say, there wouldn't be a movie franchise if it weren't for the advent of the games.

That said, I really enjoyed everything about this movie!  From the very opening of the film, even as the opening production company logos are rolling, the jokes are flying.  I don't want to spoil anything here, because some of my favorite moments came from completely unexpected places; everything from shout-outs to every iteration of Batman that has ever been to the rest of the DC universe, even to subtle jabs at Marvel.  You almost forget it's even a Lego movie as there are only a couple of references to the "master builder" concept introduced in the Lego Movie.  Beyond that, it was just great Batman camp.  Of course, maybe that's just me as my Batman and DC experience for the last few years has mostly been just from playing the Lego video games, so the look just felt natural.

Anyway, top to bottom, the Lego Batman Movie is just a lot of fun, and if you are a fan of Batman at all and you have you have a good sense of humor, you need to see it immediately!

All I can say tonight is this:

AVENGERS ASSEMBLE!!!

I am such a geek for the MCU and I will be waiting in line day one for this one next year!

I'm going to be lazy tonight.

First, though, I would be completely remiss if I didn't applaud the Ninth Circuit Appeals Court for voting unanimously, without presumed party bias, against the ridiculous Muslim travel ban.  And he can tweet "See you in court" all he wants.  It's called the checks and balances of our government wisely set up by our founders.  Go ahead, "45," embarrass yourself some more.  You'll find not everyone in Government is a sycophant or afraid.

Now to the lazy part, as I already copied this on Facebook earlier today.  I read a very well-written post speaking directly to my dilemma the other day about pulling back from the mayhem to get back to myself a bit.

"This morning I have been pondering a nearly forgotten lesson I learned in high school music. Sometimes in band or choir, music requires players or singers to hold a note longer than they actually can hold a note. In those cases, we were taught to mindfully stagger when we took a breath so the sound appeared uninterrupted. Everyone got to breathe, and the music stayed strong and vibrant. Yesterday, I read an article that suggested the administration's litany of bad executive orders (more expected on LGBTQ next week) is a way of giving us "protest fatigue" - we will literally lose our will to continue the fight in the face of the onslaught of negative action. Let's remember MUSIC. Take a breath. The rest of the chorus will sing. The rest of the band will play. Rejoin so others can breathe. Together, we can sustain a very long, beautiful song for a very, very long time. You don’t have to do it all, but you must add your voice to the song. With special love to all the musicians and music teachers in my life…..#Resist"

I feel a little less guilty now for those moments when I just don't have it.  The rest of you are still carrying on, as I will when you need a break.  Peace and love.

 

I need to make a retraction.

Fair warning: this may stun those of you who are quick to boycott every single product from companies who make any sort of statement with which you disagree, or those of you who think I am one of those people.

Last night, I made a comment about replacing my exercise clothes because I read a piece that said the CEO of Under Armour likes having Drumpf as our President because he knows business.  I couldn't disagree with him more.  A country is not a business.  He has been (still inexplicably) entrusted with the United States of America.  It cannot become part of Trump Enterprises, or whatever he calls his business empire.  The Under Armour CEO is dead wrong that Trump is an asset to anything except his own self-interest.

That said, the piece merely states this as one man's opinion.  It does not say he has given any money to Trump or any extreme-right causes, nor does it state his company imposes any particular beliefs on its employees; in fact, an edit to the article adds a statement from the company explaining its goals and claiming its diversity.  Furthermore, this was just one article about one interview he gave.

With that said, I will not be rushing out to buy all new workout gear based on this one interview.  I'm not burning or trashing what I own . . . that is until it all becomes so wretched with stank that I just can't take it anymore, and some of them are on their way.  I'm not likely to purchase anything from them again, but they already have my money.  I don't know that a call for an all-out boycott just because the man expresses an opinion is productive.

I have been talking about having fair, open discussion with those who have differing opinions.  It's a little hypocritical to hastily add this company to the proverbial boycott list just because its CEO believes Trump's business acumen is an asset to the country.  Let him think that; so what?  Now, if Under Armour suddenly starts to espouse homophobia (Chick-fil-A), racism (Cracker Barrel), or pro-life (Hobby Lobby) BS on its customers and staff, then absolutely all bets are off.  Right now, this feels pretty benign.  When they crawl into bed with the devil, then #grabyourwallet.

As Robert Reich always says, what do you think?

I don't understand how this is being allowed to continue.

And by that, I mean my allowing these dickwads in Trump-brand suits imported from Mexico and/or China to ruin my waking days.

Tuesday was my son's seventh birthday.  You have heard me gush about him before.  Even though I still had to drop him off at school and race away to work, avoiding a huge traffic jam, and he still had to sit through his sister's dance class in the evening, so there wasn't much happening for him (we did do cake and presents as a family; the party is this weekend), it still should have been a day to celebrate him.  In my loving and logical mind (yes, they can work together sometimes), it still was: I sneaked a note and a $20 into his lunch, gave him his birthday spanks for which he has been begging for a week (don't ask), and told him I loved him as I put him to bed.

But in the midst of my getting choked up looking at the picture I took of him this morning and beaming to myself about the great things he is going to do in his life, our national disaster still went on around us.  In an unprecedented Veep tie-breaker, a woman who knows absolutely nothing about education is now in charge of it all.  A Senator and his cronies basically bullied another Senator into a "sit down and shut up" because the latter Senator was voicing a dissenting opinion about a third Senator's qualifications for another job.  A white supremacist, civilian bullshit artist who may be the puppeteer behind the new shameful face of our country is being considered for another ranking place in the government.  And to top it all off, I just learned that the CEO of Under Armour supports HIM because he thinks it's great a businessman is now running the country - time to restock my exercise wardrobe.

To counter all of this today, a dear aunt sent me a message thanking me for how I continue to speak out.  Another Senator completed what the silenced Senator was trying to say.  The mayor of Boston went on The Daily Show to stand up against the travel ban.  Jake Tapper held Kellyanne Conjob's feet to the fire for a half hour to call out the crap spewed by her and her boss.

I'm developing a theory that I'll save for another time.  For now, I want to celebrate my boy and the fine young man he will become; and the brave Americans, both elected and civilian, who continue to fight for what is right and just.  I love you, Son.  Peace and love. #resist

I'm becoming repetitive.

So in yet another example of people showing their privilege, today I showed a liberal coworker a headline I saw in passing about DT starting a commission to investigate voter fraud; of which there was none so this another total waste of time and (I'm sure) taxpayer money, and continuing to deflect from the real threat of his tyranny.  This coworker is really easy-going, and proceeded to go on about some theory which culminated with basically saying "You're cutting years off your life by getting so crazy about this."  As a side note, I don't think it was necessarily directed specifically at me; more of a collective "you" to those of us who continue to speak up.

While on one hand I actually think there is merit to that thought (I have had the same thought myself, hence my need to pull back for a couple of days to recoup), I can't help but think this is just letting life happen to you, and in this case, everyone else who may have even less choice, voice, or opportunity.  We can't just sit back quietly and calmly, waiting and hoping he will eventually implode; too much damage may have been caused by then.  If we get complacent and let it all normalize around us, we may not realize all the effects it's having until it's too late, including to those of us who do have privilege.  We're already going to have a deep hole from which to dig out; let's not make it worse by taking a lazy attitude about it.  We have already seen some of "our" (I put that in quotes because I still really have yet to do anything outside bitching behind my monitor; a.k.a. I'm shamefully showing my privilege) actions have positive effect; we have to keep at it!  Thank you for all you do!  #resist

I absolutely hate the New England Patriots.

Yes, I used the "H" word.  I think I may loathe this team more than any team in professional sports, and that includes the New York Yankees, and I REALLY can't stand them.

This is not a bitter jealously thing because my Minnesota teams haven't done anything really worthwhile in years - and I'm not taking anything away from the WNBA dynasty of the Lynx with that statement.  They have done some great work recently; I'm just not a huge basketball fan in general.  Nor am I taking away from the talents of the teams.  Regardless of how one feels about them as a whole, the effort and abilities of these people absolutely cannot be denied.  Anyone who has ever played would love to have half the talent of Derek Jeter or Tom Brady or LeBron James.

But no; this is about overexposure and arrogance.  I am so sick to death of hearing about the same players and teams over and over and over again!  This is just as bad as the media constantly covering Trump's campaign without giving proper equal time to every candidate just because he was/is a ratings draw.  I watched the news throughout the campaign season and everyone kept going back to him and his antics.  The same goes for the national sports media in that every story is about the Yankees, the Patriots, LeBron, and Tiger Woods (who, by the way, is lousy now!).  Closed circuit to ESPN, et. al.: NOT EVERYONE GIVE A DAMN ABOUT THOSE HANDFUL OF PLAYERS AND TEAMS!! Sometimes we want to hear about other teams in different markets.  To hell with the fact that they may be "smaller;" they're still valid or they wouldn't even be in their respective leagues. talk to us about what Joe Mauer needs to do to break out from his continued struggles, whether or not the Cleveland Browns will ever be relevant, or if the Columbus Blue Jackets are for real.  I love the cities of New York and Chicago, but I can't stand their sports teams - enough with the attention just because that's where all the money is!!

And arrogant?  Do I have to go any further than than Bill Belicheat - I mean Belichick - and Tom Shady - I mean Brady - (copyright Dan Cole, the Common Man)?  Their cockiness just oozes out of every pore in the bodies, and they don't give a damn.  And hell, why should they?  They know they're great and their fans will keep coming back year after year, and they will just laughing their conceited, wealthy, conservative asses all the way to the bank.  I cannot wait for the year(s) when they both finally decide to hang it up (and again, why would they when they both continue to defy failure) and Bob Kraft is suddenly left holding the pieces of his former glory, at which time I expect he will sell, because isn't that what multi-billionaires do?

And speaking of these particular conservative multi-billionaire jerkoffs, the final reason I can't stand this franchise and was so desperate to see them lose tonight I think can be summed up by this NSFW clip:

And I'll just leave it at that (with a big proverbial middle finger to the Patriots organization) for fear of going off on another real political rant because trying to follow up Bill Maher with anything is an exercise in futility.  Go #MNWild!

Don't tell me peaceful protesting does nothing.

I have seen several responses that say protesting does nothing, one such I referenced in a previous post (is that really arrogant, to site myself on my own blog?).  In that post, I said that we may not see immediate results, but they are happening.  Organizations are starting to stand up against the tyranny (see the Uber CEO suddenly renouncing his place on DT's business council, or whatever he is calling it, and reaffirming a commitment to immigrants and refugees).

And then this happened.

Congratulations to the Attorneys General of Washington state and Minnesota (shout-out to my home!) for bringing this suit, and for Federal Judge James Robart for seeing that morality and justice are done.  Now, as expected, the crybaby had to go and appeal for an emergency stay on the ruling, because, heaven forbid, he understands the checks and balances that were set in place by the founders specifically to avoid any one branch of the government from doing what he is trying to do.

People of good conscience who are aware we are not just one nation, but we are a global community, are speaking out and fighting.  These are small victories, but worthy ones.  Now we need even more companies and officials and insiders (way to fight, @RougePOTUSStaff!) to stand up and rebel.  Our voices are being heard.  Are there any with greater authorities willing to fight, too?  We certainly have some voices in Congress, but at the present time it may not quite be enough.

I agree with Van Jones on this one.  Nothing is going to happen to DT in the next two years.  We cannot sit back and rely on the rumored GOP members suddenly getting disgruntled with him; they are still too much about the party face.  The only way anything is going to happen is if they lose control of Congress; then, just maybe, there can be some greater action.  For that to happen in 2018, we need to act now: keep talking, keep marching, keep calling.  Keep it all going and then make a better showing than historically recorded at the midterm elections.  We mustn't give up hope or become complacent.  It's the same battle cry: don't normalize any of it!  Stay strong and #resist!

You're going to give up on me before I even get started.

I truly appreciate you all for taking an interest in reading my blathering.  I hope you'll stick with me as I go through a touch of a dry spell; coming up with daily wit and thoughtfulness is hard!  Not that there hasn't been a bunch to discuss (new sanctions, convincing people the Berkeley riots were anarchists and not liberal protesters, the continued ridiculous one-sided fight with the media, and let's have a moment of silence for the day the truth died - remember Bowling Green, KY), but for the past couple of days I have been learning by headline, not by substance, and I don't want to be hypocritical by talking like that; it does nothing right by the truth or being well-informed.

In addition to what I said yesterday about taking a mini break from ranting and raving in order to get a bit back to "me," and what I have said in the past that this was not intended solely to be a political tirade blog, today was a very long day at my job (the beginning of a VERY long and tiring week - Super Bowl weekend is rough in the casino industry, I'll just leave it at that) followed up by a night I have come to look forward to every year at this time: the Daddy-Daughter Dance.

So as tired as I am and in need of getting to bed to face another grueling day, I am dedicating tonight's post to my little girl.  I am just as in love with this beauty as I am my son.  Sure, what parent isn't in love with their kids, but I just have to say it.  Just as with her brother, she has come so far since the beginning of the school year, testament to the kindergarten teacher they have both had.  Her reading skills are wonderful.  She is definitely learning and becoming her own little firebrand.  She's not breaking any records just yet, but there is a creative intelligence brewing beneath her surface. And the fact that she is going to be my little actor is absolutely thrilling to me!  I can tune the satellite radio to On Broadway and she will attempt to sing along with anything that comes on - you should hear her try to knock out Hamilton riffs, and if it's Frozen, forget it; it's her show.  Last summer I took her to her first live show, an amateur production of Disney's Beuaty and the Beast, which she loved. Next month I'm taking her to the Smith Center to see the national tour of Matilda; this is going to be the real test to her future love of theatre.

So enough today.  Just my little love letter to my baby.  Hold yours close.  Good night.

I really have nothing tonight.

I am winding up my weekend (I work in a casino, remember?).  I still glossed over shared Facebook headlines, attempting to evaluate their worth from their original sources (not the members who posted them), and continued to be angry at our current lot; I watched a Robert Reich report.  However, for the most part this weekend, I had to separate myself.

I have been so livid and vocal about the whole thing for so long now, as I've said before, it has consumed me.  I almost don't know how to think about anything else anymore.  I feel guilty if I do.  I feel guilty for not really paying attention to anything for two days.  I feel like I'm forsaking my duty as a concerned (putting it extremely lightly) citizen.

For those of you who think you can pounce on my hypocrisy for lowering my vigilance, I have to admit that on one hand you'd be right to do so.  On the other hand, I assure you I have not completely relinquished my little role in this fight.  Once I can refresh and reset, I will have plenty to say.  I don't expect that to take long as he and his minions are constantly doing something to harm us all.  But right now, I need to remind myself who I am and, while there are plenty of things bigger than me, that my life and what I have in it are important, too.  I have to remember what I have rationally said about us all wanting the same things, that at our cores most of us are good people, and that I cannot go through life judging everyone based on whether they're on the left or the right.  If I can't stop that, I will ruin a lot of relationships; I am a better person than that, and so are we all.

So for today, that's it.  I am going to kiss my wife and children good night, get some good rest, and try to start a new week level-headed and ready to work.  Peace and love.

I forgot to address something else yesterday.

From the same "discussion" yesterday about "getting over it" (I hear your collective sigh, "Again?!"), another statement was made that has stuck in my craw:

"[A]t this time, too many people are too caught up in the many issues we need to address. And unfortunately, rather than find the truth and move forward with a resolution we have women knitting pink hats and wearing them to protests. Wonderful! But really, what did it solve? Nothing. To nitpick, it was counterproductive since the yarn could have been used to make hats and scarves for the homeless. I assume most women used transportation that runs on gas to get there. They justified our "need" for oil and further encouraged the pro-pipeline supporters. And what about the environmental cost? 

But this is the kind of conversation we can't have. Because people are too passionate right now. It would be nice to see that energy focused on solutions rather than crafts and chats."

I'm not even exactly sure how to respond to all this.  Full disclosure: I have no idea exactly what side of the political spectrum this person lands on, so I am responding to the comments based solely on the words, not with any political bias against the person.  Also, I think this person is a distant relative whom I have never met, so I have to be nice.

• "Too many people caught up in the many issues we need to address."  Does that mean there should be less people involved?  Fewer issues addressed?  Yes, there are many people caught up, and they should be; and let individuals decide which are the most important issues for them to address.
• "What did it solve?"  Well, we may not necessarily see the results of the protests, certainly nothing earth-shattering happened at the exact moment they were taking place.  DT was not going to descend upon the rabble from his gold throne that has been newly-installed in the Oval Office (can't wait to see that during his first public address) to suddenly say, "Ya know what, you brave women are absolutely right and I hereby rescind everything I have said and done so far." You want to know what it solved?  Allow me to steal from another brilliant piece I found tonight:

"For everyone who DID something, small or big, your efforts have been successful. Because of you:

1. Federal hiring freeze is reversed for VA (Veteran Affairs).2. Court order Partial stay of the immigration ban for those with valid visas.3. Green card holders can get back in country.4. Uber pledges $3M and immigration lawyers for its drivers after #DeleteUber trends on Twitter.5. Obamacare (Affordable Care Act) enrollment ads are still going to air.6. The ACLU raised 24M over the weekend (normally 3-4Mil/year).7. HHS, EPA, USDA gag order lifted.8. EPA climate data no longer scrubbed from website.9. More people of different career/religious/economic/race backgrounds are considering running for political office than ever before.10. MOST importantly, since we live in a participatory democracy, the people are engaged.While more is needed, you have to celebrate your wins."

• "To nitpick . . . "  Yeah, ya kinda are.  What do we know what else those women have done in support of the causes for which they fight?  Maybe they DID knit hats for the homeless.  Most of these rallies happened in major metro areas, so I suspect many of them took public transportation.  Maybe they just see this fight as having taken top priority and will return to the others when this one is won.
• "This is the kind of conversation we can't have."  I disagree.  Yes, people are very passionate right now, but that does not mean we can't come together as rational adults as discuss things. We have to rise above the cacophony and vitriol to admit to each other that we ultimately all want the same things; we just have differing philosophies on how to achieve them.  It certainly won't be easy because of the passion, but it has to happen, and soon, before we tear ourselves apart.

So I say don't lessen the importance and value of protest just because a common symbol was chosen as a means of showing unity.  Don't dismiss the actions because you personally don't see grand results.  Be grateful that we live in a country where (at least for now) your voice can be heard by whatever means you choose to use it.  Do what you feel is right, so long as you are not infringing upon another's rights.  For those of us who believe as we do, to quote Mad-Eye Moody, "Constant vigilance!" and #resist.  To us all, peace, love, and prosperity.

Don't ever tell me or anyone to "get over it."

So here we are again talking about dismissive language.   However, today it came from another liberal.  I will say it again: under no circumstances should anyone be told to shut up and deal . . . unless you're forcing a whiny kid to eat his broccoli, then maybe you have a valid reason.  

Seriously though, whether it is meant in a demeaning way or not, to say that to someone who is speaking his/her mind about a strong belief is insulting and rude.  I get it: Facebook is not really the best platform to air our grievances.  There have been plenty of memes like this one floating around:

                           

But that doesn't make the poster's opinions any less valid.  Believe me, I would love for us all to go back to showing off our kids' report cards and wannabe 5-star meat loafs and face-planting drunk cats, but that is not where we are now.  And there are too many of us who feel extra emboldened sitting behind a computer screen.

                                                           

We are in a time where everyone can express their opinions and beliefs, and anyone can choose to ignore you.  If you are one of those who is so over it all that you are just going to bury your face in the sand, and accept and normalize the shitstorm we are now in, domestically and globally, well, by my own argument, you are entitled to that, too.  

However, remember that you allowed your privilege to blind you from all those whose voices do not get heard.  Remember your choice when your Muslim neighbor is detained from returning to his American family after visiting his home country.  Remember your silence when your lesbian niece has to explain to her child why no one recognizes her marriage to the child's other mommy anymore. Remember you turned away when swastikas are spray-painted on mosques and synagogues. Remember you had enough when your grown son is dying because he lost his health care and he had to choose between rent, food, and medicine.  Or don't, because you will be safe in your own little box living your safe little life where you are not responsible to anyone.  And remember that when no one come to your aid in your time of need, because I promise you, this administration's decisions will eventually adversely affect us all.

That is why we speak up.  That is why we march.  That is why we will not be silenced.

    #resist