Hello friends and family!
As I understand it, this message should reach you on the last day of the month of January of 2017 -- which is similar timing with regards to all the other notices that were appearing on my Facebook page for about a year before I got that text message instructing me to download the app that allowed me to step through the portal into 2084 on New Year's Eve.
My contact here, who is actually what's left of me -- or more accurately stated: my contact here is WHAT is what's left of me, as I exist in 2084 as a collection of EQ, IQ and SQ files. Prior to my arrival, I had a good sense of EQ and IQ, but the SQ was new to me. I have come to learn that those initials represent my "soul quotient" -- or the digitilization of the intangible part of me. Combined with my knowledge (IQ) and emotions (EQ), it is like I will be living forever -- assuming, of course, that my files do not get corrupted.
In another surprising development, I have learned that even though I entered the portal and I find myself in 2084, the Troy that was me back then still lives on in that era (and it is *his* social media to which I am connected in order to send back this communication -- but only on the last day of every month, because we it is then that we take advantage of a glitch in when the vitalnet backup happens, and only in short communiques to avoid being caught). I have been told that the dual existence of Troys is "astral projection with a corporeal element" and that it is a development from the middle of the 21st century that revolutionized healthcare and disease management. I am very eager to learn more about how that came to be, as soon as I can settle in.
For now, though, know that time here in 2084 moves more slowly, so although my messages are reaching you on a monthly basis, only days have actually passed since my arrival. Based on where I was at the time of accessing the portal via the app, I arrived in the Florida Isles, which are a series of islands that are all that is left of that namesake state after the steady rise of the sea. These islands are actually no longer a part of America ... or East America, seeing as how the USA is divided in two by the Bay of Mississippi. Luckily, the Chapo-Escobar Cartel, which owns the islands, permits a refugee camp of IntransiGents to live in a beach community as they gather to plan the Fourth Uprising.
To that end, I have been given a new identity -- Ilion -- and I am awaiting word of an attempt to get me across the border. Here's hoping my next missive to you, expected on the last day of the month next, will be sent from within East America.
Until then, I remain Troy in 2084 (now known as Ilion), hosted and brought to the future by t1a7n72.lif., communicating with you through the use of use of Troy in 2017's account.
Tuesday, January 31, 2017
Random TNT for Tuesday 1/31/17
TNT ... Chicago 5:
1 Peacemakers were supposed to be the blessed ones. 2 At least that's what she was always told growing up.
3 Although, obviously, securing an afterlife blessing wasn't Marta's only goal in talking Zar into going to her friend's New Year's Eve party despite knowing that his nemesis J would also be attending. 4 She really was sincerely hoping that reuniting them in the safety of a social setting with the assistance of a little bit of alcohol would be the key to recreating the camaraderie they once had as a group.
5 She missed those times. 6 They were easier. 7 They were more relaxing. 8 They were what she wanted to recapture.
9 Sadly, she was naive. 10 Genies don't go back in bottles. 11 Lightning doesn't strike twice. 12 The best days of your lives are fleeting at best.
13 She also clearly overshot the concept of using just "a little bit" of alcohol as a social lubricant. 14 And she had no grasp of timing.
15 Worst of all, she had no beer pong skills -- and even worse shot pong skills. 16 So when she and Zar passed the time before midnight by ending up on one end of a long kitchen island in her friend's fancy Chicago apartment tasked with tossing tiny plastic balls at even tinier plastic cups, she and Zar were headed for certain trouble.
17 Too many shots in too short a time and too big a crowd gathered around to cheer on their opponents who were annihilating them led to Zar seeing J for the first time in about a year in a less than ideal situation.
18 She knew that Zar could get a little dramatic at times, but she wasn't expecting him to throw multiple tiny balls and tiny cups directly at J, whose only crime at the time had been laughing at the mismatched game playing out. 19 She didn't appreciate the depths of Zar's pain at J's betrayal ... and she most certainly didn't anticipate that Zar would project all of it on to her once he figured out that she knew that J would be at that party.
20 Marta found out quickly enough, seeing as how Zar gave her the coldest of shoulders in the screaming match that ensued. 21 Plus being on the other side of the bathroom door when he locked himself in was a clear sign too that he was no longer considering her to be on his team -- in more ways than just the disastrous pairing of shot pong.
22 She knew that Zar could say the meanest things when he was that wasted, and so she watched from a distance as his way too pregnant sister entered the periphery of the party and claimed him from the locked bathroom. 23 She avoided eye contact and watched in her own personal silence as they hurried out the door.
24 As silently as the scene played out in her mind, she was actually surrounded by cacophony -- seeing as how the gathering was climaxing in the countdown. 25 The new year for her was far from starting out in a good place -- for the place she was in as the revelers let out the loudest cheer of the night was at the window, peeking from behind the curtain as Zar and his sister Maria lingered at the curb outside.
26 She couldn't quite figure out why their departure was taking so long, and she secretly hoped that maybe Maria was talking sense into Zar and that he would come back in to the party and that all would be forgiven -- even if only towards her and not necessarily for the sins of J.
27 In the end, she had to quickly give up on that fantasy when she witnessed Zar puking curbside. 28 Grossed out, she turned away ... and so she had no idea of what was really happening on the back seat of the car regarding the arrival of baby Gabriella. 29 Instead, she decided that the only thing she could do was to find J and to explain the evening's turn of events to him.
30 If she had anything to say about it, she wasn't about to lose two friends in one fell swoop.
Monday, January 30, 2017
Random Memorial for Monday 1/30/17
Mind you -- rare was the Sunday morning where anyone in the house just *had* to have alcohol stat -- but there was the occasional shopping trip that might have started before noon with beer on the list that simply couldn't be bought in the past.
Now the local government has decided to lift the ban -- one of the last "blue laws" in the state apparently -- many many years after having already permitted restaurants and hotels to do what they'd like for the brunch crowds.
There's still a statewide battle brewing over whether those same grocery stores can start selling the hard stuff in the aisles (currently, they have to have a separate storefront to sell things other than beer and mixes). More about that after we see how it plays out ...
Those times I was told at the Publix that I couldn't take home Guinness on Sunday mornings at 10am ... you will NOT be missed!
NO MORE WAITING TIL NOON TO BUY ALCOHOL AT THE PUBLIX:
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/fort-lauderdale/fl-lauderdale-sunday-morning-alcohol-sales-20160908-story.html
SPEAKING OF DUMB LAWS IN FLORIDA:
http://www.dumblaws.com/laws/united-states/florida
THE NEXT LIQUOR BATTLE IS STILL TO COME:
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/opinion/editorials/fl-editorial-liquor-regulations-20170127-story.html
Sunday, January 29, 2017
Random Scandal Sheet for Sunday 1/29/17
The million dollar pitbull.
And no, I am not referring to our two boys ('cause, after all, let's face it -- Casanova James and Ozzie [Octavius] Julius are priceless.)
This Pitbull is the bigger one of the two in the accompanying photo ... and the thing that has tongues a-wagging is the deal he got from the other guy in the picture who used to be the head of a state tourism agency called, accurately enough, "Visit Florida".
It turns out one million dollars is the going price for two social media posts a month and one video highlighting how we've got "sexy beaches" down here where we live, plus a few other commitments now known because the contract that was supposed to be a trade secret was released to the public.
Which I guess is all the long way to say ... our two pitbulls ALSO have a social media presence and they ALSO star in videos on their page every now and then AND they are available to help promote Florida for a *fraction* of the cost of Mr. 305. Just sayin' ... cal me!?!
BETCHA THE ESTEFANS WOULD HAVE DONE IT FOR FREE:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2016/12/16/florida-governor-calls-resignation-after-1-million-pitbull-contract/95533504/
THE MILLION DOLLAR VIDEO:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOUQ3kfxEaQ
THE PITBULLS TO REPLACE PITBULL:
https://www.facebook.com/thecasanovajames/?ref=page_internal
Saturday, January 28, 2017
Random Soapbox for Saturday 1/28/17
I don't mean to go off on a rant here, but ...... the government shouldn't be in the business of fooling its citizens.
And to those of you who have tired of the ongoing negativity against PresiDOLT Trump, I should probably state up front that this is NOT a commentary on things happening on the national front (although I DO have opinions about that [of course] so stop back on Wednesday to hear them ...)
My complaint this time is local ... VERY local. Specifically, my issue is with these two public trash cans and truck number 6756 that emptied them on a recent Tuesday afternoon between 1:30 and 2 on 13th street when I was on my lunch walk. (It's about the DETAILS, people.)
In case you can't tell, the one with the blue cover is for cans and bottles only, and it's in that universal color blue that implies "the items placed in this container will be recycled". It's about being a decent citizen, and about having some small influence on the catastrophe-to-be that is the after-effect of America's disposable approach to consumer goods.
Which is why, when the trash truck pulled up, and I observed the worker empty the cans ... one after the other ... into the SAME space in the back of the vehicle ... I was basically Dorothy learning the truth about the Wizard (so to speak). All I could think of was how dozens and dozens of my empty Coke Zero bottles that I *thought* were getting a modern respectable final resting place were clogging the landfills due to the deception of those in whom the citizenry puts their trust.
The trash emperors have no damn clothes on, people ... you heard it here first.
THE *OFFICIAL* LOCAL GOVERNMENTAL PLAN (DESPITE WHAT I SAW):
http://gyr.fortlauderdale.gov/greener-government/recycling-waste-reduction
TURNS OUT IT'S BLUE BECAUSE PEOPLE LIKE BLUE:
http://www.greenmagonline.com/blue-top-color-for-recycling-containers/
SO ... MAYBE WE'RE DOING IT ALL WRONG ANYWAY:
https://www.wired.com/2015/08/listen-america-need-learn-recycle/
Friday, January 27, 2017
Random Flashback for Friday 1/27/17
Additionally, that was the year I started struggling with my time in law school, and that struggle wasn't exactly photographed -- nor did it leave me with a lot of free time to do other things that might have gotten memorialized on film.
That means all this year (on every other Friday) as I flash back to that time twenty years ago, the photos I feature might just not be directly correlated to the months they're being presented, as has been the pattern heretofore.
For instance, this action shot of the tilt-a-whirl at Knoebels with the Whitman family certainly wasn't taken in *January* of 1997, but I'm still going to show it here in January of 2017 to continue the theme for that year back then that started with the picture I posted a fortnight ago: when I wasn't breaking down in law school, 1997 was all about my time spent with the Whitman family. In some ways, the motion of this amusement park ride was a fitting representation of all the whirling e-motions with which I'd be dealing as those months played out ...
Thursday, January 26, 2017
Random Taste for Thursday 1/26/17
And so it continues ... a brand new set of tastes for 2017 ...
here's the THIRD of FIFTY tastes of FLORIDA
(coming to you on sequential Thursdays. All. Year. Long.)!
Establishment: The Whole Enchilada
Location: Ft Lauderdale
Website: http://twefreshmex.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TWEfreshmex
TroyScore: 38 out of 50 -- aka 76, a C
THE FULL REVIEW (AND ALL THE PHOTOS) CAN BE FOUND HERE:
https://50tastesofflorida.blogspot.com/2017/01/random-taste-for-thursday-12617.html
Wednesday, January 25, 2017
Random Wordplay for Wednesday 1/25/17
Used in a sentence: "As yet *another* new concept for 2017 on the blog (because, let's face it, no one wants a stale blog), I am pleased to present the first entry in the new series about the making of the Bacon of the Month."
To help kick off year one of this bacon celebration (yeah, I'm predicting an early renewal for this idea to continue in 2018), for inspiration, we're intending to use the dozen "outrageous" bacon treats at the link provided below (or to follow if you're reading this on the Facebook instead of on the blog).
And to start, we chose the Bacon-Wrapped Pineapple Mozzarella Rings for the first dish. As you can see by the pictures, and as compared to the similar entry in that link, we did have to make a minor modification in how we wrapped the items -- it was maddening to try to thread the bacon through the pineapple ring and onion slice holes, so we just did around them instead.Be sure to check back toward the end of February (and every month thereafter) for the future "you can try this at home" bacon-y concoctions!
THE INSPIRATION FOR THE FIRST 12 BACONS:
http://www.neatorama.com/2015/08/25/12-Outrageous-Bacon-Treats/
THE RECIPE WE USED FOR JANUARY:
http://www.slapyodaddybbq.com/2014/05/bacon-wrapped-pineapple-mozzarella-rings-2/
Tuesday, January 24, 2017
Random TNT for Tuesday 1/24/17
TNT ... Chicago 4:
1 The plan was to propose. 2 The plan that night was *always* to propose.
3 Angel admitted to himself that it was partly so that he would never forget the day of their engagement. 4 That bit of strategy aside, he also knew that Sharlene was a dedicated fan of New Year's Eve, and that asking her with the big city in the background egging them on to commit to marital bliss would be the perfect setting and the perfect timing for the popping of the question.
5 Plus, seeing as how the ring belonged to his abuela and was modest at best, proposing in the ambient light of the city skyline would hide some of its lost luster.
6 It was bad enough that, in order to bring in much-needed revenue to the relationship, he had chosen to work that night transporting people about their celebrations business -- on a holiday that was always orchestrated as something special for just the two of them. 7 The pressure was on to make something spectacular.
8 He had figured that everyone would be where they were headed once midnight rolled around, so he'd buzz over to the parking lot off of Lake Shore Drive, and he'd get down on one knee, and he'd get her to say yes.
9 Getting her to ride along as a part of his shift would be easy enough. 10 Oh sure, he'd pretend to fight it a little bit so as to keep her from suspecting that he had ulterior motives -- and that way he'd keep her happy by making her think that it was her idea all along.
11 But all along, the plan was to propose.
12 He had no way of knowing that the last fare he'd pick up before midnight would be the pregnant girl who never should have been out and about in the first place. 13 Or that her direction would be to take them to a party to claim her drunken younger sibling. 14 Or that the stress of the moment would result in her giving birth ... right there ... right in the back seat ... right during the time where he had planned to propose to his longtime girlfriend.
15 Yes indeed -- the plan was to propose. 16 Instead, he found himself swaddling a baby in his own jacket, and leaning over to his passenger to say, "for unto you this morning a child is born ... and she's a girl".
17 As he sped away from the scene of the birth as instructed to by his girlfriend, he couldn't help but wonder ... would he have to wait a whole 'nother year before he'd follow through with his original plan?
18 Was the birth of the baby a sign that there were other priorities? 19 Was the interruption of *his* plan purposeful so that a different plan could be executed? 20 Was he overthinking it such that he should just propose in the hospital parking lot in a bit instead?
21 Such were his thoughts as he raced toward the emergency room, more than once running a red light. 22 Because when he came to little baby Gabriella, her needs took priority over everyone else's.
Monday, January 23, 2017
Random Memorial for Monday 1/23/17
The one and only Reba will be featured throughout the first quarter, and tonight it's the one and only live album she released in 1989: "Reba Live". As for the specific tune, with the knowledge of hindsight, it's only appropriate to highlight the tune on which she lets her band loose: 'Can't Stop Now'. After all, many of the musicians on that particular track were to perish in a horrific plane crash just a few years later.
To that end: Chris Austin, Kirk Cappello, Joey Cigainero, Paula Kay Evans, Jim Hammon, Terry Jackson, Anthony Saputo and Michael Thomas (a few names called out later on this album), you will be missed -- although you'll be fondly remembered playing your hearts out on this song.
CRAZY HEART RUNNING OUT OF CONTROL:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQ07OWiMVSs
Sunday, January 22, 2017
Random Scandal Sheet for Sunday 1/22/17
What southern Florida is talking about this week:This poor kid (in the middle listing).
There's a part of me that wants to ride up and down this particular block throwing bags of potato chips at any kids I see ... friendly tosses, mind you, as opposed to the way that the basketball got thrown at this poor soul ... but in a post-Sandusky world, I don't necessarily think that middle aged men giving little boys bags-o-treats at the random is the best plan of action.
So hopefully, karma will work its magic and the little bball wielding bastard will get one of those chips stuck in his throat ... or have a bigger bully attack him with a bigger toy to have his basketball weapon stolen from him.
And somewhere, there's a boy missing a bag of chips who needs to be told that it gets better ...
STOLEN POTATO CHIPS IN THE NEWS PART 1:
http://www.pressunion.org/saskatchewan-man-jailed-filling-wheelbarrow-stolen-potato-chips/
STOLEN POTATO CHIPS IN THE NEWS PART 2:
http://katu.com/news/local/police-man-stabbed-in-neck-over-stolen-potato-chip-accusation
STOLEN POTATO CHIPS IN THE NEWS PART 3:
http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/susan-jones/feds-successfully-defend-employee-who-ate-potato-chips-without-paying-them
Saturday, January 21, 2017
Random Soapbox for Saturday 1/21/17
... seeing as how I have super-talented friends, and seeing as how I have committed to raving instead of ranting once a month (for my own sanity ... and maybe even my own health) ...
... I'm going to go ahead and brag about two of them RIGHT NOW (and, in the process, start a new occasional series on the new blog).
First up, previous college mate of mine (and erstwhile mentor, and political scientist who gets it -- he really really gets it, and giver of my first break on the LVC stage, and eventual greek brother) Renato B last year proudly released a project on which he was screenwriter: the thriller 'Criticsized' [sic]. I believe I saw an update that they've sold out of hard copies, but you young whippersnappers can still find it for download on the itunes at the link below. Get it ... buy it ... watch it ... recommend it to your friends!
Second up, and similarly, a previous college mate of mine (and ultra dedicated musician, and activist extraordinaire) Daniel H released the ninth (!) studio album from 'Trance to the Sun', on which he serves as the drummer, this past New Year's Eve's Eve. Digital copies AND instructions as to how to get an old-fashioned hard copy of that creative output can be found at the second link below. PLUS ... they have arranged for a free tune download at the third and final link below, in case you're not up to speed on the rest of their catalog. Get it ... buy it ... listen to it ... recommend it to your friends!
By the way -- I have a sneaking suspicion this new series will have many more entries in the months ahead ... possibly even another from one or both of these same artists. Until then, feel free to enjoy that which my talented friends have to offer -- because I firmly believe that ART is the ANSWER to whatever ails you!
FIRST, THE LINK FOR 'CRITICSIZED':
https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/criticsized/id1167833234
SECOND, THE LINK FOR THE LATEST FROM 'TRANCE TO THE SUN':
https://trancetothesun.bandcamp.com/album/via-subterranea-2
THIRD, THE LINK FOR THE FREE TUNE TO GET YOU HOOKED!:
https://trancetothesun.bandcamp.com/track/max-mystic-single
Friday, January 20, 2017
Random Flashback or Friday 1/20/17
#136: handwritten May 17 1970 written on it ... Ralph tending to a boiling cauldron on a fire ... maybe at hunting camp (or warlock camp if that was a thing?)
#137: shirtless Ralph building a homemade grill pit ... maybe in the back yard at Bethel?
#138: handwritten 1974 on it (I was 2) ... shirtless Ralph building something in a sand pit ... *for sure* in the back yard at Bethel based on the neighbor's house I can see in the background (ps ... he was 51 here and I do resemble this photo at my current age of 45)
#139: 'stached Ralph in what may be the living room of the house in Bethel
#140: 'stached Ralph napping on the quilted blanket on the grass somewhere
Thursday, January 19, 2017
Random Taste for Thursday 1/19/17
And so it continues ...
a brand new set of tastes for 2017 ...
here's the SECOND of FIFTY tastes of FLORIDA
(coming to you on sequential Thursdays.
All. Year. Long.)!
Establishment: Mellow Mushroom
Location: Ft Lauderdale
Website: http://mellowmushroom.com/store/fort-lauderdale
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mellowfortlauderdale/
TroyScore: 40 out of 50 -- aka 80, a low B
THE FULL REVIEW (AND ALL THE PHOTOS) CAN BE FOUND HERE:
https://50tastesofflorida.blogspot.com/2017/01/random-taste-for-thursday-11917.html
Wednesday, January 18, 2017
Random Wordplay for Wednesday 1/18/17
Used in a (really long) sentence: "After weeks and weeks of the travesty that was the transition, and with plenty of opportunity for the giving of 'second chances' and for the waiting for the candidate to transform into a unifying leader, I am now confident in declaring that I will forever more consider the 44th holder of the highest office in the land (you can count Grover Cleveland twice if you'd like, but I'm choosing to not do so for the purposes of this post) as Presidolt Trump."
This decision permits me to retire my previous references to "President"elect Trump and "President" Trump (always with the written version of the air quotes that I would use in an actual conversation). I reserve the right to continue to slip in a Comrade Trump as circumstances allow. I can also confess at this time that the runner up was tRUMP -- the lower case t representing the tiny hands and the capitalized RUMP representing ... well ... that's he's pretty much an ASS.
After googling Presidolt Trump this evening, the urban dictionary informs me that presidolt may have been around for a decade (as have presidiot, presidumbass, presidimwit and presidunce), but I feel confident in helping it to experience a revival.
On a final note ... and recognizing that I open myself up to the whiners who might say "but you should respect the office", I promise you that I'll cease using this nomenclature as soon as HE starts respecting said office (or until they come to put me in the camps).
Spoiler alert: I'm not holding my breath. I feel confident that I'll be saying Presidolt Trump for the full duration of his time in the oval office (and I'm confident that won't be a full term as much as it will continue be a fool term).
And let's not forget ... karma DEMANDS that he who advanced his position on creating negative nicknames for others be subject to a taste of his own medicine. On karma's behalf, you're welcome Presidolt Trump.
TURNS OUT I CAN'T TAKE CREDIT FOR THIS:
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=presidumbass&defid=1185395
HE WHO MAKES NICKNAMES WILL ONE DAY BE NICKNAMED:
http://www.flocku.com/articles/the-method-behind-donald-trump-s-nickname-madness
GIVING PRESIDENTS NICKNAMES IS ACTUALLY RATHER PRESIDENTIAL:
http://mentalfloss.com/article/57009/30-presidential-nicknames-explained
Tuesday, January 17, 2017
Random TNT for Tuesday 1/17/17
TNT ... Chicago 3:
1 "We ALWAYS spend New Year's Eve together. 2 It's OUR thing -- it's WHAT we do and it's WHO we are."
3 There are times when choosing one's battles is the most important choosing that one can do. 4 Sharlene had chosen, and she had decided that New Year's Eve was to be the date of the skirmish, Angel was to be her opponent and those words were to be her battle cry.
5 Sure, she could understand exactly why her boyfriend wanted to work his shared ride service magic on one of the busiest nights of the year for the safe transport of exceedingly inebriated citizens. 6 It was certain to be good money, and good money is what they needed to move out of their dicey neighborhood and over to the lakeside where the fancy hospitals were based.
7 She knew she wouldn't be in school forever, and the long shifts ahead would be even longer and less tolerable if they had to start and end with hours spent on public transportation. 8 She loved him more for putting her first, and she accepted that there would be sacrifices that would be made in order to reach their goals.
9 But tradition was also important to her. 10 Tradition was the incentive on the horizon that got her through any obstacle. 11 Tradition was how she stayed focused and stayed sane. 12 And the tradition was that they had never been apart when the annual odometer turned over in the four years that they had been together.
13 So it was that she found herself riding shotgun as he delivered drunken reveler after drunken reveler to their destinations in the big city that night. 14 Unbeknownst to Angel, she had slipped a bottle of bubbly and two flutes under the front seat.
15 She was thinking of that very surprise when the fare he took closest to the strike of midnight first got in the car.
16 It was the farthest thing from her mind, though, when that girl started to give birth in the back of their Chevy Cruze. 17 Instead, her training kicked in and she got Angel to pull over by the side of the road, the drunken kid brother that they had claimed from the party to get out of the way and to go puke at the curb, and the girl that was but a little girl herself to successfully give birth to her own little girl.
18 That bubbly was going to have to go toward a different celebration. 19 At least she had spent the holiday together with the one she loved AND a new mother, her drunk brother and a brand spanking new baby girl that she herself had gotten to spank. 20 She had won her battle, in a way she could have never predicted.
21 Now was NOT the time to relive the victory. 22 Now was the time to seek official medical attention.
23 "Hurry -- to the hospital!" she commanded of Angel, after herding everyone back into the automobile. 24 She had a new battle cry.
25 "For baby Gabriella!"
Monday, January 16, 2017
Random Memorial for Monday 1/16/17
[Note ... due to some development work in the beginning of the new year on the new blog suite, I've fallen behind on the daily posting schedule. Courtesy of the post-dating functionality of the blog, I'm slowly catching up ... which is why you're potentially seeing something about the MLK celebration a few days after everyone else was focused on it. But if there ever was something that could linger beyond one day, the MLK legacy is it.]
Luckily, we have his words to challenge and guide us in times of uncertainty -- or should I say in "times of challenge and controversy". May his legacy be seen in the actions of us all in these trying times and in the challenges and controversies surely ahead.
You who inspired ... and who continue to inspire long after you're gone ... you are missed.
THE SOURCE OF TODAY'S GRAPHIC:
http://www.dekhnews.com/martin-luther-king-jr-day-motivational-quotes-sayings-whatsapp-status-dp-images/
A PICTORIAL REPRESENTATION OF THE DAY:
http://www.dekhnews.com/martin-luther-king-jr-day-motivational-quotes-sayings-whatsapp-status-dp-images/
OUT OF THE MOUNTAIN OF DESPAIR, A STONE OF HOPE:
https://share.america.gov/life-legacy-martin-luther-king-jr/
Sunday, January 15, 2017
Random Scandal Sheet for Sunday 1/15/17
Criminal librarians!
Indeed, in another "only in Florida" type situation, a library branch supervisor and assistant created a fake library card issued to "Chuck Finley" who checked out 2361 books over a nine month period.
(Note that this is not the REAL Chuck Finley, a baseball player perhaps best known for being the male victim of spousal abuse courtesy of the violent Tawny Kitaen porn star from the 80's ... best known for that and for playing some baseball, obviously.)
It turns out that there is now big brother type artificial intelligent software that will run algorithms and spit out books to cull from the stacks -- so the crafty criminal librarians made up a person (replete with fake address and ID) in order to make sure their favorite books were spared the wrath of the software gods and could stay in circulation.
The problem -- funding for public libraries often gets distributed by circulation rates, and so artificially inflated rates equal more money to spend for them but less for others, and an inspector general got an anonymous tip about the scheme.
The bottom line: trust no one -- even your local friendly (potentially sneaky) librarian!
THE CRIMINAL ENTERPRISE EXPLAINED:
http://people.com/human-interest/florida-librarians-invent-fake-patron-to-save-books-from-being-dumped/
AT LEAST IT'S NOT A LIBRARY IN AUSTIN:
http://lj.libraryjournal.com/blogs/annoyedlibrarian/2016/10/10/the-library-crime-wave-in-austin/
A CHUCK AND TAWNY REFRESHER:
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/crime/chuck-finley-strikes-back
Saturday, January 14, 2017
Random Soapbox for Saturday 1/14/17
... I sense a government conspiracy.
And no ... don't worry ... this isn't yet another complaint about "president"elect Trump (there will be plenty of time for that). Instead, it's a little more personal ... and a lot more local.
*This* notice was attached to the door this week at ye new olde homestead -- an official "warning" that we were violating the established rules and regulations for bulk waste (that time once a month when a Ft. Lauderdalian can put just about anything on the curb for a giant backhoe to come along and consume with the help of a fleet of dump trucks) because the pile of dead branches out on the curb was in place a week early.
Here's the kicker. I know damn well when the official bulk trash day is. I have to know, because one of the puppies (Ozzie) has anxiety and is not fond of all the extra noise pollution that this service creates.
I also know damn well that no one in this household created that pile of dead branches. They were put there by the crew that was out to fix the street light, which had been out for about half a month because the neighbors on the plot to our east (for whom we thank for the bright and beautiful bougainvillea that spill over into the back corner of the yard) hired landscapers who trimmed their bushes AND sliced the power line that fed those lights. On the day that the street light crew did their work, they made a nice neat pile of branches that they had cut from trees on this property that were apparently in the way.
Which means the city created the violation ... and then had the nerve to come warn me that there was a violation that THEY created. Note that the "warning" also said that action must be taken within 48 hours to avoid further action (i.e. fines). I recognize that it might not be quite the racket that those possibly illegal red light cameras are, but still ... it's a quick and dirty way to get some cash for the city coffers.
[Update: to beat the system, I just went out and moved the pile off the curb and over the hedges directly into the front yard until I could feed the branches into the trash cans twice a week. There's apparently no penalty for a pile of branches in your front yard -- just so long as it's not on your curb!]
Shame shame city of Ft Lauderdale! Maybe introduce your right hand to your left and stop setting up your citizens!!
THE RULES (THAT THE CITY ITSELF VIOLATED ON MY BEHALF):
http://gyr.fortlauderdale.gov/greener-government/recycling-waste-reduction/solid-waste-yard-waste-recycling-services/residential-curbside-pick-up-garbage-yard-waste-bulk-and-recycl-2389
BULK TRASH HAS BEEN CONTROVERSIAL BEFORE:
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/broward-politics-blog/fl-blog-graffiti-couch-lauderdale-20150820-story.html
FROM TRASH TO TREASURE:
http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/craft-ideas/how-to/g139/genius-upcycling-ideas/
Friday, January 13, 2017
Random Flashback for Friday 1/13/17
I've been doing it for years (over on the old blog [https://capcognition.blogspot.com/] and on the Facebook), and since it's now 2017, that means I'll be fixated on 1997 all year long.
[Note that the in between Fridays will be as they were last week and they will remain a spot to feature five of my father's photos that I inherited when he passed ... the vast majority of which are way more than two decades old.]
As for this particular picture that kicks off this year's set of photos? It's a return to the Lutheran church camp in northcentral PA where we did a murder mystery type activity. The winter 2017 excursion (actually in Feb that year) was the third time we were invited to the retreat ... and it was the second time that these guys (the middle Whitman boys and their friend Selman) assisted with the "show". My notes say that we did something with "Joseph and the prisoners" ... which I know wasn't a full blown scripted murder mystery ... but somehow we pulled something off with a little improv style. The show went on, as shows must do.
Thursday, January 12, 2017
Random Taste for Thursday 1/12/17
And so it continues ...
a brand new set of tastes for 2017 ...
here's the FIRST of FIFTY tastes of FLORIDA
(coming to you on sequential Thursdays.
All. Year. Long.)!
Establishment: Rubio's Coastal Grill
Location: Ft Lauderdale
Website: https://www.rubios.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RubiosFortLauderdale302/
TroyScore: 42 out of 50 -- aka 84, a solid B
THE FULL REVIEW (AND ALL THE PHOTOS) CAN BE FOUND HERE:
https://50tastesofflorida.blogspot.com/2017/01/random-taste-for-thursday-11217.html
Wednesday, January 11, 2017
Random Wordplay for Wednesday 1/11/17
Used in a sentence: "Far be it from me to begrudge 'president' elect Trump from a standard part of any great vacation: seeing the sexual sights that the locals have to offer."
It's what you do when you travel. If you go to Tijuana, you're going to take in an actual dog and pony show (you DO know how that phrase originated, right?). If you go to Bangkok, you're going to dodge the artfully launched ben wa balls being pinged (or is that ponged) into the crowd, If you're already in Thailand, you might bump into a lady boy or two. If you go to San Francisco, you're going to go try out a restroom glory hole (but only after first confirming with the owner of the orifice on the other side that he isn't a cop, 'cause if he was a cop he'd have to say so). It's what you do.
So if Comrade Trump allegedly wanted to watch a little girl-on-girl golden shower action as he vacationed in Moscow, then maybe it all boils down to the fact that he was just seeing the sexual sights, and he shouldn't be slammed for it. For all we know, one of the two women engaged in the public display of urination may have been in the running to become his next mail order bride. Finding the right partner is a process, and maybe this whole escapade was a part of it. If it *was* some kind of negotiation, let's just focus on the fact that he no doubt negotiated hard ... he negotiated bigly ... he got the best deal when it came to the menu of options those prostitutes would perform.
Side note: can we stop with the feigned surprise that this was allegedly on this man's itinerary ? This is the guy who spends time in locker rooms bragging about grabbing genitalia (because, after all, his tiny hands couldn't exactly get a hold of all the breasteses, like typical sexual assaultists) and the guy who would only naturally bang his daughter if it wasn't for those darn anti-incestual norms (because, you know, he thinks she's hot).
Additional side note: it has bothered me since the beginning of this election cycle about his unique hair color and how so many of the people on his team seemed to be using the same dyeing process to get that same Trumpian golden glow on all their coifs (see the head of Kellyanne Conway as the lead example). I'm thinking this latest "leak" to the press is going to blow the lid off that little beauty secret. Hint: it's not hair dye that gets you that color ...
One final note: if it turns out that "President"Elect Trump was the one filming "two girls and a cup" a few years back, then THAT should definitely disqualify him from taking office. There has to be a line drawn somewhere.
SO MAYBE I'M GETTING DOG AND PONY MIXED UP WITH DONKEYS (NSFW):
http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/ask-a-mexican-on-the-truth-about-tijuana-donkey-shows-6463551
THE ALLEGED SITUATION:
http://www.newsweek.com/trump-russian-spies-infamous-golden-shower-memos-541315
KELLYANNE CONWAY HAS HER OWN TROUBLES:
http://www.cosmopolitan.com/politics/a8463346/the-funniest-reacts-to-kellyanne-conways-heroes-and-villains-tweet/
Tuesday, January 10, 2017
Random TNT for Tuesday 1/10/17
TNT ... CHICAGO 2:
1 There was plenty of blame to go around, as far as Zar was concerned. 2 He had been promised by the hosts of the New Year's Eve shindig that the other guy wasn't even going to be invited. 3 So either the hosts had lied, or his nemesis J had found out about the gathering and decided that there would be no harm in making an appearance.
4 Whether a set-up or an unfortunate coincidence, it was still Zar who reacted, so he had to share some of the fault. 5 Better said, courtesy of the abundance of the holiday spirits, it was still Zar who OVER-reacted, spurred on by the excess of alcohol. 6 For that, he was personally holding Marta responsible. 7 She was the one who insisted they play the drinking game, and it was her lack of hand eye coordination that kept them on the losing end, awash in shots as punishment for their failures.
8 If placing the blame was the name of the new game in which he was engaged, then he decided his dead mother would have to get in on that action. 9 She had kept her cancer diagnosis a secret from her kids, and in so doing, had robbed him of the time he needed to prepare for her demise. 10 His emotional growth was now stunted, and his coping skills would forever be sup-par.
11 Then there was Maria -- pregnant-with-child older sister Maria. 12 If she hadn't been so insistent on being the one to call if he ever found himself in trouble, then she wouldn't have gotten the call after he confronted his nemesis about his lies and deceit. 13 She wouldn't have been in the Uber driver's car in her condition shortly before the stroke of midnight just to save him from certain charges of assault because he was close to acting out in a physical way.
14 So there it was. 15 The fact that Zar was squatting at the curb, spitting up the extra Jager from the two too many shots he had just taken was the fault of the party hosts, his nemesis J, his drinking buddy Marta, his dead mother Maggie and his pregnant sister Maria. 16 He cursed each of them separately as his body spasmed and retched.
17 From the activity in the car that he couldn't bear to witness, he concluded that his pregnant sister Maria was pregnant no more. 18 The stranger who was in charge of the birth yanked on his collar. 19 "Let's go," she barked to him. 20 "We have to get to the hospital." 21 He made a note to ask his sister at some appropriate later time how it was that the Uber driver had an additional passenger who was skilled at the art of baby delivering.
22 Now was not the appropriate time though. 23 He climbed into the back seat, trying to find a place to perch that wasn't a yucky wet spot.
24 He had purposefully gone out of his way to avoid seeing his sister mid-birth, because, after all, she was his older sister and that would have been too gross. 25 However, there was no way he could miss the aftermath. 26 He stared into the little child's eyes, wrapped in a coat as she was with a nametag that said Angel that the driver had given his sister, and he was almost certain that the baby winked at him.
27 Maria smiled at him through exhausted eyes. 28 "Little Gabriella April, meet your Uncle Lazaro."
Monday, January 9, 2017
Random Memorial for Monday 1/9/17
Since it is the first time it's appearing on the new blog (so much change!), I should explain the concept again. The cassettes I find in my trash can every fortnight are being thrown out ONLY because I also already have the matching item in CD format. This means that they are going to heavily favor the late 80's/early 90's (my Columbia House/BMG/12cassettesforapenny days).
In NO way is this recurring act to be interpreted as any kind of commentary on the actual artist -- especially seeing as how one of my favorite ladies will find herself in the trash all the way from now until the summer -- starting with the classic 10th studio album from Reba back when she still had a professional last name (McEntire, of course). As for the song to feature, it's NOT going to be the sad title track ... but the empowerment upbeat anthem that was a second release. In modern lingo, it was the "conscious uncoupling" of its time -- where maybe only the one party was aware.
'Whoever's in New England', at least until the next time I listen to the CD version, you will be missed.
TAKE A CHANCE TONIGHT AND UNTIE THE KNOT:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcdPMAS4MtA
Sunday, January 8, 2017
Random Scandal Sheet for Sunday 1/8/17
... the tragedy at the local airport.
Images of four of the five victims have now been released (full disclosure ... this is actually being written on the 9th, but, through the magic of the blog, it's being retroactively dated for the 8th) and their (mostly) smiling faces just make it all the more heart-wrenching.
In just over a month, I'll be at that same airport, returning from a work trip, standing at a baggage claim, waiting for my luggage to make its way out on to the carousel. I'll be thinking about reuniting with my loved ones, picturing the wagging tails of the puppies and the excited whine that Casanova makes when he sees someone he hasn't seen in a week and the way that Ozzie will go toward my feet and put my sneakers in his mouth to punish them for having taken me away. I'll be thinking back on my time in Vegas, remembering that whatever happened there stayed there, as per the rules ... and I'll be planning to spend quality time with my Indiana family, who will already be here for their yearly winter visit. I'll be salivating about my annual birthday steak dinner, postponed so that they can join, and what will be the highlights of the week ahead. I'll be in a spot facing the conveyor belt so that I can grab and go, wondering if my bags will be first out -- or last out -- or worse (one out first, one out last) -- or worst (not out at all -- which has only ever happened to me once). I'll be reading some old newspapers, whatever I couldn't finish on the flight, waiting for the cruise ship sound that signals the machinery is about to start.
Or at least that's the way it would have been expected to be IF it were just the denouement of any normal flight like any other I had taken over and over again in my travels.
Instead, I expect I'll be repositioned in a back corner where I can watch everyone gather, content to wait until after I've evaluated the situation and only after I've identified places to exit quickly and/or shelter in place to grab the bags. I won't mind if the luggage goes around a few times while I perform a safety check. Most certainly, I will not have my head stuck in a newspaper, and my thoughts about loved ones and future plans will have to be displaced to the back burner by my awareness about the immediate danger in which I may or may not find myself. I'll consider it a success if I can just escape unharmed.
Such is life in modern times.
Eventually, that thought pattern will be tamped down by realizing that it's just all too random any more. That soft targets abound. That barely treated mental illness coupled with our go-go-gun society has rendered us all potential targets at any possible time. That there is no preparation plan for that kind of randomness. That living in fear isn't living. That freedom comes from being in each moment because the next moment isn't guaranteed.
Eventually I'll get there.
Just not in a month when I fly again ...
IN HONOR OF THE VICTIMS:
http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/07/us/fort-lauderdale-victims-profiles/
ESSENTIAL TRAINING FOR MODERN TIMES:
https://www.dhs.gov/active-shooter-preparedness
4% OF THE MENTALLY ILL ARE VIOLENT ... BUT OUR *SOCIETY* IS VIOLENT:
http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2016/06/untangling-gun-violence-from-mental-illness/485906/
Saturday, January 7, 2017
Random Soapbox for Saturday 1/7/17
... I turned 45 today and I had to deal with the fact that half of my life is now almost definitely over.
Admittedly, there's a chance that I'll make it to the triple digits and get a shout out from Willard Scott on the Today show (is he still alive? do they still do that?). After all, I've pretty much a diet of Guinness and bacon ... and Guinness has restorative powers and bacon has niacin, which helps people live longer.
But my birthday is now linked to my bio-dad's death day (four years ago just a few days before my celebration), so I am keenly aware that he didn't quite make it to 90 -- hence the math today that led to my conclusion.
Don't worry -- I have no plans to deal with the likely passing of my mid-life with the traditional crisis. I'm NOT going to get a toupee. Instead, I'll continue to get a haircut every two weeks to trick myself into thinking that I *choose* to keep it this short and that I'm not going balder. And I'm NOT going to trade in the Chevy Cruze for some fancy automobile. After all, I have previously admitted that when I see a guy in a fancy car, I assume that they were running short when he was in the appendage line before birth and so he must compensate.
What I AM going to do though now that it's all downhill from here? Live, love, laugh and be happy. Sure it's a cliche ... but that doesn't make it any less sound advice for advancing into those golden years. Here's to the next 45 (and here's hoping I get to share them with all of you).
I'M GONNA LIVE FOREVER:
http://www.irishcentral.com/news/guinness-is-good-for-you-say-medical-experts-113839559-237365401
I'M GONNA LIVE FOREVER REDUX:
http://nextshark.com/new-study-suggests-eating-bacon-may-prolong-life-make-it-more-amazing/
BRING IT!:
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2010/sep/29/10-point-guide-to-beating-that-midlife-crisis
Friday, January 6, 2017
Random Flashback for Friday 1/6/17
#131: group shot (from the early 80's I think) of my father (third from the left) with his parents and his brothers and sisters: Grandpa Paul, Uncle Junior, my dad, Aunt Evelyn, Uncle Fred, Uncle Jimmy -- Aunt Maryann and Grandma Esther in front row -- and Uncle Carl (and puppy!) seated #132: group shot (stamped Oct 71) of back row Uncle Fred, Uncle Junior, Aunt Maryann, Uncle Jimmy and front row my dad, Grandpa Paul, Grandma Esther and Aunt Evelyn (Uncle Carl is not pictured)
#133: group shot (likely the 90's or 00's) of Aunt Maryann, Aunt Evelyn, Uncle Fred, Uncle Jimmy, Uncle Junior and my dad (my Uncle Carl and my grandparents had passed by this time)#134: my dad's mom Esther (my grandma) and HER sisters at a family reunion ... I'll have to dig out the family history book for all of their names
#135: my dad's mom Esther (my grandma) and her sisters AND their spouses (also at a family reunion I'm sure) -- my grandma is in the brown dress
Thursday, January 5, 2017
Random Taste for Thursday 1/5/17
I could pretend that I want to try my hand at reviewing restaurants ... but really I just want an excuse to eat out at least once a week. Indeed, that is exactly the goal ... and although I promise that not every thing featured every week will be covered in bacon, I do hope to bring some delectable dishes to the weekly post ... and to offer up some "dish" about local eating establishments (and there may be a bacony thing or two ... in the vein of "know your brand").
The rules are simple ... one NEW place (at which I've never before eaten) each week, with a year end best-of wrap up on Dec [28th]. And although I expect that most places will be within the more immediate tri-county area (Broward, MiamiDade and PalmBeach), I am hoping to expand to other locations within the state as travel plans permit.
All that said, there will be a few changes for 2017. For instance, the old "Random Thought for Thursday" is now officially retired (replaced by the now more accurate "Random Taste for Thursday") AND this too will have its own spin off dedicated blog -- going "live" next week with the first of fifty entries for 2017 (and with all of last year's entries uploaded to it). One last thing -- that blog will be searchable by new topics (category, grade, location, overall Troy-score, plus1s, perfect 10s and year). Be on the lookout for a special "redemption round" each quarter as well.
Here's to 50 more delicious meals at 50 exciting eating establishments!
WATCH THIS SPOT NEXT WEEK!:
https://50tastesofflorida.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, January 4, 2017
Random Wordplay for Wednesday 1/4/17
Used in a sentence: "The rebranding efforts continue in the first week of the new year, which means the repository for all my randomness is getting itself a new name: sosaysTroy."
Once I fulfill one of my new year's resolutions and finally get on the twitter, that moniker may yet get an octothorpe in front of it, but for now, it's launched as shown in the accompanying image.
Also for now, it contains my content as of 1.1.17, but the old capcognition blog remains active as the archive of all that came before it -- over seven years of searchable content from 2009-2016. Over time, some (or all ... or most) of that content may migrate, but as of this moment, it's just a clean break over to a new brand. And note: my "short" story Lorem Ipsum, which was split off from CapCog a while ago, continues to live in its own dedicated spot.
As for the reasoning behind the switch, it's really pretty simple: because I want to and sosaysTroy.
WELCOME TO THE NEW BLOG:
https://sosaystroy.blogspot.com/
CAP COG IS NOW THE BLOG ARCHIVES FROM 2009-2016:
http://capcognition.blogspot.com/
LOREM IPSUM REMAINS SPLIT OFF FROM BOTH:
http://loremipsumarchives.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, January 3, 2017
Random TNT for Tuesday 1/3/17
TNT ... CHICAGO 1:
1 Had the baby been born AT the hospital instead of on the way TO the hospital, the birth would have been in the papers and the child would have been heralded as the first one born in the brand new year. 2 Instead, some other cute little thing received those honors that year. 3 And Maria was just lucky that the Uber driver had brought along his girlfriend for company that holiday night/morning and that SHE was a nursing student who dove in to deliver the baby in the back seat of the Chevy Cruze.
4 Maria's brother had certainly been no help. 5 He was too inebriated to assist, and moreover, too disgusted at seeing his sister in that position. 6 He was also dealing with his guilt at the fact that he was the reason that his sister was out and about on New Year's Eve in her condition in the first place. 7 Unless you considered the fact that she had always told him to call her if he was ever in trouble, which made the emergency trip to collect him from a bad scene at a party her fault after all.
8 At that moment, Maria was focused on Sharlene, the nursing student, who was guiding her through the delivery. 9 She wasn't thinking about her brother ... she was thinking about the fact that someone should be notifying the father that the event was underway. 10 If only she had known exactly to whom that call should have been placed, she could have directed her brother to do that instead of having him sitting outside the car, fighting back a little regurgitation action.
11 The previous April had been a hard month for Maria. 12 She had been fired from her job at the pharmacy once her affair with the manager was found out by the HR department. 13 Her boyfriend John had left her once her affair with the manager was found out by him -- but then again, his mental health medication from his PTSD had made their private times together extra challenging anyway, hence the affair. 14 That stranger she had met at that bar that night when she went out to get drunk and forget all her problems was a nice enough distraction, but they hadn't exchanged numbers. 15 On top of all of that, the rent had been due, and creepy Mr. Kissinger had accepted affection in exchange for a discount.
16 April had been a hard month indeed, but Maria had no regrets. 17 She was a survivor, and she had been for years -- even long before her mother Maggie's death from cancer. 18 She had faced adversity before and she was never one to run from an unexpected challenge.
19 The immediate challenge at hand was to push when told to, and to breathe deeply in between. 20 As was her style, she rose to the occasion and she pushed her little heart out ... until she pushed her little baby out.
21 Sharlene's boyfriend offered up his jacket and the child was wrapped in it, with his nametag facing up. 22 He looked down at Maria's exhausted face and whispered, "for unto you this morning a child is born ... and it's a girl."
23 Sharlene, still in charge, commanded her boyfriend to get back in the driver's seat and to get them all to the closest hospital. 24 Maria cradled her baby, and despite the fact that the nametag read "Angel", she knew that the tiny hand that grasped her finger belonged to little baby Gabriella April.
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