Jotting Down Some Randomness

The past week has been one of change and challenges for me. I am usually not lacking things I want to write about, but the past few days have been … well, busy. I’ve jotted little random thoughts in my “possible blog” notebook but none of them really warrants a full blown blog. So I decided to throw many of them all together for you. Consider it a Blogging Smorgasbord.

(Mental note: Use Smorgasbord in a sentence today. Check!)

Afternoon Adjustment

One of the biggest changes for me has been the switch from midnights to afternoons. Things have been very busy at work and I know that there are a lot of things that I still need to learn. However, I’ve sort of settled in and have taken care of reviewing patient charts, scoring records, helping techs with hook ups and whatever else is needed.

It’s weird to see the “day people.” We see their names in e-mails and on orders, but to actually see them … it’s just weird. There is a small window of time between when the day folks leave and the night folks come in where the building is strangely quiet. It’s almost too quiet. I have had to make sure that I turn some music on in order for me not to get distracted by the silence.

My entire eating schedule is out of whack, too. I’m used to lunch at 11pm and dinner at 3:30am. Now, I am eating on what you would call a “normal” schedule. I also have to deal with the never ending supply of sweets and snacks from the day staff. It seems that there are always some kind of goodies on the break room table.

The best part has been being able to crawl into bed and hold my wife at night (when one of the kids isn’t in our bed!). In just one week, I feel like we have talked more like when we first got married. Both of us are rested, get up and have coffee together, and have breakfast and lunch as a family. It really is wonderful.

Date Night

Sam and I have a date night coming up this weekend. If there is ever any question as to whether I love her or not, this should prove that the answer is a resounding YES. Look, I’ve seen a few episodes of the Golden Girls here and there. Sophia reminds me of my Italian grandma. However, I wouldn’t go out of my way to see a “Golden Girls” stage show – unless my wife wanted to see it. She does and we are.

I don’t know much about the show. The Golden Girls – The Laughs Continue. I heard it is a bit “raunchier” than the actual show. My co-worker saw it tonight and said it was good. He promised to not give away any spoilers. He took his wife.

We were talking about how some people really got into it and were dressing up to go to shows like this. My wife has informed me that she has something for us to wear to the show. If I wind up in a wig and a dress, I will be sure to share pictures.

Did You Ever ….

This doesn’t happen often, but have you ever started a book with the impression that it was going to be good only to find it slow and not what you expected? I am listening to an audiobook that I borrowed based solely on the title. The unabridged audio book is just over 11 hours. I am three hours in and I am just now feeling like it might be starting to get interesting, but I’m not sure. I debated whether or not to just stop listening.

I suppose it is my fault. I usually read the synopsis before deciding on reading a book. I never did for this one. Prior to blogging, I read the synopsis and afterward asked myself, “If I had read this before adding it to my ‘to read’ list, would I have actually wanted to read it?” I’m guessing not. I will probably listen a little longer just to see what, if anything, happens. At some point, though, I need to decide whether I want to finish it or not.

I Don’t Get the Hype

Someone posted the above on Facebook and I had to steal it. I truly don’t know how to take the hype surrounding the Barbie movie. My first thought is that Hollywood’s creativity is at an all time low and this was the result of someone scraping the bottom of the barrel for a movie idea. “Oooooo! I know! Let’s make a movie about Barbie and the various versions of dolls!” How does this idea even make it up the flagpole!?

Sam actually wondered if it would be something that Ella might like. Most people who did see it said it was probably not something to take kids to. It seems that this movie is made for adults who used to play with Barbie dolls or something. Urgh.

This leads to my second thought – adults are actually willing to pay big ticket prices to actually watch this in a theater. THIS is what the general public sees as “entertainment.” At what point do they just throw together two hours of 2 to 3 minute Tik Tok or Snapchat videos and market it as a “major motion picture?!” Sure, you can watch that crap on your phone, but if they did put it in theaters, you can bet that people would flock to see it. Next thing you know, some idiot Tik Tok “star” will get an Academy Award!

It has been a LONG time since there has been a movie that has come out that I would actually want to pay to see. I’ve been fascinated by the story of Hiroshima, so the Oppenheimer movie might be something I’d go see, but the reviews are mixed. I will probably do what I usually do – wait to stream it or rent it.

New Bluey? Yes, I Will Watch!

My wife says to me today: “Have you watched the new Bluey episodes yet?”

I shout back, “What?! Are they one Disney + already? I didn’t think they were airing in the US yet!”

Yes. There are new episodes. Yes. I will watch them by myself.

I learned a long time ago that it is totally ok for an adult to watch cartoons without kids. It keeps me young!

Reels – Another Annoyance

Many people have already left Facebook to venture over to other social media sites. This is due to censorship, “fact checking,” and so much more. I just can’t bring myself to leave Facebook. First of all, I have 12 years worth of memories on there. I have pictures, videos, and other random memories that I enjoy seeing. Second, many of my former radio and record friends are on there and it is one way I keep in touch with many of them. Next, many of my pastor friends, church friends, and people who share the same faith as me, are all on there. While I can watch many of their live streams on YouTube, I can also watch saved “live” sermons after they have been recorded on Facebook. I’m just not ready to leave it …

REELS

I don’t have a TikTok account, but almost everyone I know has one. Basically, it is a place for people to create stupid videos. It seems that Facebook and Instagram are trying to keep up with them, so they created their own “version” called “Reels.”

I hadn’t really noticed them when I am on Facebook from a laptop, however, when I am using the Facebook mobile app, they are very prominent in the news feed.

These stupid videos are much like the Snapchat “stories” I blogged about recently. Today’s reels included:

A gal snapping her finger and every time she is in a different outfit
A teenager lip synching to a bad rap song
Some dude golfing
Another dude golfing
A dash cam video of a truck being tipped over by the wind on a bridge
A large breasted model walking through a crowd of people while people took her picture
A guy eating cereal while milk came out his nose
A woman jumping up and down – and each time she hit the floor she had on a new pair of shoes
A few wild football plays
Animals caught on Ring doorbells
Pranks (so called) where it is obviously set up and everyone is in on it
People dancing to Brooks and Dunn’s Neon Moon

The above list was just from today’s occasional checks of Facebook. Some of the “reels” are actual TikTok videos.

I don’t get the appeal of these. My wife says that they are kind of addicting. I don’t know, every one I have actually watched was either boring or was a huge build up to …. nothing spectacular.

It is bad enough that when I scroll through my Facebook newsfeed, I rarely see anything from friends. There always seems to be some sponsored link to a product or story. Sometimes there is the “click bait” stories (“A man discovers something terrible in his closet,” “The last photo in this set will leave you in tears,” or “Chilling pictures from INSERT TRAGEDY HERE“) . All I want is to see what’s going on with my family and friends.

These Reels and Reel-y annoying!!

Fake “Stars” and a Real One…

It’s been a few days since I have blogged. I’m sorting through some things that I’ve been dealing with and I hope to be back to my old self sooner than later. Please bear with me.

What’s This All About

I used to post pictures of famous people on my Facebook page when it was their birthday. My ex told me to stop because “nobody cares about that crap!” When I stopped, people started messaging me and asking why I stopped posting them. So I created a page on Facebook that completely focused on Famous Birthdays.

There were a few sites that I visited often to get daily birthday info and ages and such. I used to spend way too much time compiling the info and posting it. It got to be too much, so I stopped. At any rate, one of the sites I checked for birthdays had loads of great information on stars, but what frustrated me was when there would be people listed on there as “YouTube” and “Snapchat” stars.

I mean really, what have they done to be considered “stars?” Nothing! If I am being honest, you and I could easily do what they are doing and gain “star” status! I have a YouTube account, and I have only posted one video – and it isn’t even me! I have a Snapchat because a few friends have it and that is their only social media platform. I also use it for the stupid filters.

When a friend of mine posts a “Snapchat Story,” right below it are all kinds of other stories (pictures and videos) from other “Snappers.” You know how they verify celebrities on Facebook, Twitter, and such? They actually verify these people too. I decided to watch a few every day for a week to see what exactly about these people are worth verifying.

Observation: Most of these people are 18-24 year old girls who talk about nothing. Some of them just post pictures of them in various outfits. Some post exercise videos. Some post videos of themselves in bed crying over a boyfriend or something. So many of them post “Swipe up and ask me a question” to which they post photos and replies to questions like, “How tall are you?” or “What’s your favorite ice cream?”. Then there are the weirdos who ask them to post pictures of their feet! Even the male Snappers who post things and have been verified have nothing to say. I don’t get it!

What I found funny is that there are 5 or 6 who always come up in the stories and they all answer the question: “What makes your teeth so white?” EVERY single one of them answers “I use Purely White Deluxe.”

I have never heard of this product, but it is obvious that they are paying these people money to talk about this thing! I mean, come on, they answer this same question every day! You know that the “people” asking it are “plants” to make it seem like people are genuinely interested in it! Maybe it is just me, but when I see stuff like that, and way too many people talking about it, I know that I DO NOT want to try it…and will actually avoid it!

Maybe I need someone to go to my Snap Chat and ask how I get my bald head so shiny?! “Why don’t you know? I use Turtle Wax!!”

Norm

I was shocked to hear of the passing of Norm Macdonald today. He was 61. What surprised me the most was to read that he had cancer for almost a decade. As a celebrity, it seems everyone knows your business. How he was able to keep it a secret, I’ll never know.

I always liked Norm on SNL. He was so flippant. He had that “I don’t care” attitude. Sometimes I think he told a bad joke purposely. If I had a dollar for every time he said the word “Crack” or told a bad joke about OJ Simpson, I could probably retire.

Outside of the appearances and cameos in Adam Sandler and Rob Schneider films, I loved Norm’s silly movie called Dirty Work. It is typical Norm. There are so many stupid lines in it, yet there are some very funny parts. You’ll be dumber for watching it, but you will get a few chuckles (and they get funnier every time you watch it….).

His appearances on talk shows were always great. He told great stories and even better jokes. One of the best is his Moth joke on Conan…. typical LONG set up and great punchline!

Of course, I will always remember Norm for playing Burt Reynolds on SNL’s Celebrity Jeopardy. While the bit would progress into Sean Connery’s Hatred of Alex Trebek in the bit…..Norm’s Burt Reynolds is priceless. How can you not laugh at Turd Ferguson?! When he starts talking about Scooby Doo … I laugh every time!

Rest In Peace, Norm!