This Amazing Year – Page 2 – A Jaunty Little Blog

January 13, 2022January 13, 2022

What Will You Be Doing?

Friends,

If you go back to the very beginning of this rumbling, bumbling, stumbling mess of a memoir, you’ll see that I veered away from a joke of the day format to longer posts not long after 9-11-2001. Not long after that, a bunch of us were relieved from our employment at The 23rd Largest Marketing Communications Agency (by billings) in the country. I spilled a lot of pixels howling about that loss two decades ago.

This is a pretty good soundtrack for this post. Enjoy!

Since that time, I’ve been trying to find a new copywriting gig. I sent out hundreds of applications, fashioned a marketing department at an old job, and I even started my own short-lived business. To say that these efforts failed to hit my career out of the park would ignore that I’ve been swinging at a lot of wild pitches for a very long time. It’s been exhausting.

Well, dear reader, the drought has ended. I’ve been hired by U.K. firm Twogether as their first U.S.-based copywriter and I couldn’t be more excited about it. I’ll be working from my remote office here in northern San Diego County putting words in a specific order that will compel people to do things! For money!

I know what you’re thinking. “Hey Bob, I’m happy for you and I wish you all the best in your new job, but does this mean that you’re going to stop posting to A Jaunty Little Blog altogether?” Heavens no, imaginary reader! In fact, I’m getting ready to start new features that will waste even more of your time. I understand that you’re busy and I haven’t been giving you the high-quality words and phrases on a reliable schedule that you had come to expect. However, I can now make this promise to you: if we’re not completely debilitated in our rampaging pandemic, imprisoned following the next civil war, or we don’t have to become refugees from our nascent religious fundamentalist minority white rule ethno-kakistocracy, I’ll have hours of entertaining content here for you!

Tell a friend!

Your pal,

– bob

September 27, 2021September 27, 2021

Sometimes Life Is Like Owning A Pink AMX

Friends,

It’s been a very long time since I’ve posted up an update here and a lot has happened since the last post. Some very grim things and some lightly happy things that don’t seem to balance out the very grim things. I want to think that this is just a function of getting older, but we’re still (!!!) in a pandemic and there are studies that prove that politics is still to blame for a lot of deaths. Americans should be furious. I know I am.

When I was a tot, my best friend Jim and I were inseperable. We ran around and played and got into trouble and ate wheat paste and made each other laugh during catechism classes. We grew apart as we got older, but kept in touch infrequently. The last time I saw him was during his last month on this earth as he succumbed to the cancer that destroyed his burly frame, but never diminished his kindness and sweet demeanor. The party was for his parents’ wedding anniversary, but it really was for him. We hugged and he winced as I hugged his pain medication packs into his aching back. He was tired. He knew why we were there and seemed happy to see us.

I would like to take this moment to mention: Fuck cancer.

Jim’s sister is not a medical doctor, but she’s “done her research” on Facebook and convinced her parents that they shouldn’t be vaccinated against COVID-19. She told my Mom that she’s “very happy” that her parents hadn’t fallen for the constant barrage of media insisting they get the vaccine. They’re in their 80s, but worried about the vaccine’s long term effects. Jim’s father, one of the kindest men I’ve ever met, just died of COVID. I wonder if Jim’s sister is still so happy. At least we know he won’t have to deal with the long term effects of the vaccine.

I know a fellow who has a medical condition that prevented him from getting vaccinated. Too risky. He’s a sherrif’s deputy, one of our first responders who has risked his life saving others. He’s now a COVID long-hauler. Part of the reason we were supposed to get vaccinated early was to protect people like him. Folks whose immune systems put them most in harm’s way, like they weren’t already in harm’s way from the other stuff like bullets and blood and explosions.

If you’re like me (and may your omnipotent invisible friend help you if you are), you have a certain affinity for Roy Chapin Jr.’s AMC. It was scrappy, brash, and in big trouble. They were punching above their weight and taking shots at GM and Ford, who could do no wrong in the late 1960s. This was the era of the Matador coupe, Javelin, and the mighty AMX.

Now let’s pretend that it’s a half century later and you own a pink AMX. Maybe not that pink AMX, but it still garners the same attention and you still have to explain it. Why are you driving a pink AMX? Where did you get that pink AMX? Is it that pink AMX? And more recently, what’s an AMX?

Sometimes life is like that. Frustrating. Not simple. Not obvious.

The Boss Says, Swapping Aerosolized Body Fluids Promotes Productivity!

Friends,

Since we last grabbed each other in this little do-si-do, I have obtained employment, enjoyed some weird boosterism, put a family member in the hospital, stared into the maw of despair, and have come across a remarkable discovery. That’s right, it’s a housekeeping post.

Let’s box this gnat!

I’ve been applying for copywriting jobs for over a year with no success. I’m a tough sell on paper: out of the agency business for decades, and in-house samples from non-profit don’t obviously transfer to sales jobs. The other problem is I don’t know the jargon. This shuts a lot of doors for recruiters and HR people who are ticking boxes. As you’ve learned after any time browsing posts here, I hate jargon. I’ve spent an awful lot of time removing jargon. I’m good at it. I’ve always felt that if you hide behind industry buzzwords, you either don’t know what you’re talking about or you’re gatekeeping. I’ll keep applying until I find a kindred spirit, but in the meanwhile, it’s tech support.

Tech support is cleaning up other people’s messes. Usually, those messes are created by software engineers on a deadline who ship product before it’s complete, completely vetted, tested, and reworked. I understand why they do it, but that makes you, dearest reader, an unofficial software tester. You get to figure out why Outlook can’t handle that many deleted items and Excel can’t open your friend’s spreadsheet because it’s Tuesday. I get to fix it.

My current gig isn’t awful. The half-hour commute takes me to a biotech shop on the coast. Good start! The place is staffed with a lot of adults, which is a refreshing change. They just want to do a good job and go home. No real politics that I can discern. The downside is that it’s a temporary position on a contract. They may hire me, which is an idea it seems like they’re thinking about, but as far as I know now, it’s a no-benefits/onsite position all summer.

Speaking of onsite, the bosses have decided that all employees will return to the office this Tuesday after working from home since March of last year. There’s a lot of grumbling and management haven’t handled it well. Like businesses across the country, they started with the first rationale: that in-person work leads to greater collaboration and productivity. This is an assertion that really hasn’t been proven. There are no workplace studies. Nothing to back it up except hearsay and absurd commercial property values. This was quickly followed up by, “Because I say so.” Playing this card is so very popular with the rank and file workers who know that zero work has been done on ventilation systems, vaccination validation, and that very little effort has been put into revising sanitation protocols. Folks love it.

The boosterism comes from the bosses and human resources folks sending out bulk emails about how are super excited to see everyone! All you precious little knowledge workers with the tops of your adorable noggins poking over the tops of low cubicle walls fill our hearts with glee.

The knowledge workers I’ve spoken with aren’t feeling it. They’ve built home offices, rearranged schedules, taken on childcare and eldercare commitments, and now they’re being asked to chuck it in the bin. Folks feel like they’re doing the work and building premium products without needing to warm a company-issued chair.

The nature of work has changed. People aren’t just working for a paycheck anymore. Okay, I am actually working for a paycheck at the moment, and there are millions out there like me. My goal, and suspect the goal of the rest is a simple one: Work to live, don’t live to work. Enjoy what you do. Make a difference. Make it count.

Keep a kind thought for my father-in-law who was admitted to the hospital a week ago with pneumonia. He’s as weak as a very puny and out of shape kitten, so he’s going to need a lot of rehab to get back to full strength.

Also, Stinko brought some daughters to the desert and I fed them enchiladas at my parents’ house. He was subdued, but seemed to enjoy the visit and the attention. Please do what you can to cheer him up by spending outrageous amounts of money at his shop, won’t you?

We’re keeping gluten-free at my house for reasons (Celiac Disease can be pretty rough. I don’t have it, but I’m an ally in the struggle. Also, did you know that Celiac Disease is considered a disability when you’re applying for jobs? Let’s have a chat about why that’s case sometime later. Not now.) and we’ve been able to find gluten-free puff pastry dough. We made spanikopita with the stuff and it’s amazing. Light, flaky, and very tasty. If you find it in the freezer section, stock up. You never know when it’ll be back.

Thanks for passing through. Now it’s time to separate and go home.

Your best pal,

– bob

UPDATE: The original version of this post was a grammatical mess. I fixed a bunch of stuff, but if you see some glaring error, please let me know. Thanks!

May 12, 2021May 12, 2021

Sometimes The Universe Just Knows

Friends,

I’ve been looking for a new gig for a while now and it’s really getting to be a drag. I’m spending a fairly large number of hours every day applying for jobs on various sites, responding to recruiter queries, chatting on the phone with talent acquisition professionals, and involuntarily twitching when an email from Phil at Ziprecruiter arrives with jobs that “he” thinks I’ll like. I just want to get hired for a job that I can enjoy and be fairly compensated for that work. That opportunity feels strangely elusive until today.

I had a nice chat with a talent acquisition professional who was lovely on the phone, did not seem to mind the spotty cell coverage at my Secret Alpine Laboratory. She suggested that I would move to the next interview round after consultation with another manager, so I’ll take that to mean that it went well.

Then, I spied in my inbox that a job I’d been passed over for a month ago is open again. It’s a weird one for sure; a high-paying custom picture framing job. Mostly production-type work, but they’re working on building their custom framing business. I can do that! I’ll even join the Professional Picture Framers of America to lend legitimacy to the effort. That sounds like good fun.

I hit Apply, then got a notification that the local company that’s been selling home automation gizmos for decades has an opening. You know how I love my gadgets, integrating X-10 Powerline stuff into Dad’s high-end swimming pool projects to provide rudimentary remote control. I automated the Lodge before that was a thing. Now I’ve moved to Homekit, but I think I better brush up on my Zigbees and my Z-Waves.

Yes, of course I applied. This could be very entertaining.

That’s a lot of fingers to cross, but I hope you’ll spare some phalanges for your best pal in the whole world.

– bob

March 22, 2021March 22, 2021

Opportunities

Friends,

As you know, I’m still looking for a full time gig after the contract information technology “engagements” fell flat. I had a nice interview this afternoon with the copy manager at a software house in New York, so that looks promising. In the meanwhile, I thought it would be nice to get some work published elsewhere that I can add to the portfolio.

I threw my hat into the ring at a nascent auto industry analysis site and they asked for a writing sample. The brief was in “500 or fewer words about something you don’t see getting any coverage, but you think the auto enthusiast press should be reporting on.” Oh boy, I can write that all day. So I did!

Media Should Talk About The U.S. Auto Industry

I’m old enough to remember Chrysler’s bankruptcy in 1979. The evening news led with breathless coverage about the ensuing loss of jobs, the political ramifications, the victims and who to blame. Foreign manufacturers were demonized. It was a very important American crisis.
I’m also old enough to remember the triumphant stories heralding Lee Iacocca’s repayment of emergency government loans ahead of schedule to save Chrysler. This made him a very important American business leader.
Renault’s takeover of AMC? I remember the gasps of horror. How can the French own American Motors? Then somebody said, “Jeep” and everybody nodded. Chrysler’s takeover of AMC? “There’s Lee, flexing his muscles,” the media shrugged and moved on.
It wasn’t until the Daimler take over of Chrysler and the media’s stenographic coverage of the “Merger of Equals” that the auto industry merited some sort of analysis again. Not the right sort, of course. Not the kind that would have identified the OE’s exposure to collapse at the hands of the credit markets.
Now, post-Carpocalypse, post-UAW bashing, post-bailout coverage is mostly a Tesla blooper reel.
I think I’m old enough to handle the truth about each car maker’s plans for American mobility. Are they planning on continuing to make cars at all? What’s driving their decision making?
Nobody has said a peep about why the Stellantis merger happened in the first place except that the late Sergio Marchionne though any merger would be a good idea. It can’t just be to sell Challengers in Brazil, can it?
I’d like to find out about these things. Wouldn’t you?

I hope that little rant lands me a sweet, low-paying gig. Maybe it’ll even lead to something else that’s could be a lot of fun.

Fingers crossed.

Your pal,

– bob

February 3, 2021

The Second Third

Friends,

My Birthday Holiday Season has begun! Clap hands!

Actually, it started over the weekend when my kind in-laws, who are living in a nearby Dutch-reformed-themed retirement community (complete with working windmill!) brought a lavish gift of photography gear. This was followed by a check from my folks who are holed up in their home in the desert.

Is there cake? Yes, there’s cake. Phone calls poured in from well-wishers, which is always welcome.

Will there be more? Yes! Big plans for the weekend (Or so I’ve heard. Very exciting.)

What we’ve learned is that having a birthday on a Tuesday kinda blows. It’s too far away from the leading weekend and too far from the following weekend. Annoying. That said, I am going to make it my business to see that other people who are having birthdays in the middle of the week during a pandemic will still get the maximum fun treatment. This is because your birthday is your own personal holiday and deserves a suitable celebration.

Sometimes I think that I’m the only person who believes this. There are times when I hear, “Ugh, I’m getting so old,” when I share my Dad’s retort: “It sure beats the alternative.”

Your pal,

– bob

P.S. Bonus sunset photo!

January 29, 2021

File Under: Stormy Storms

Friends,

It’s been a little while since I’ve checked in here, so let’s catch up!

The Idyllwild Weather Clam

Our gal has been warning us for weeks from her tidepool that there were several arctic storms queing up over the Pacific Ocean and they’ve dumped their payload. It looks like we’re going to receive nearly two feet of snow by the time this is over later this evening.

That’s a better showing than last year.

Speaking of things that are better than last year…

We’re Not Dead!

Despite the slow rollout of the various COVID-19 vaccines, and the fact that we haven’t received our shots, we’re still alive! By “we” I also mean my entire extended family. This is remarkable and I’m tremendously grateful that everybody’s listening to the science instead of politically-motivated dopes.

Hey! Speaking of the intellectually unencumbered…

The Orange President Lost The Election!

In the middle of a global pandemic, he broke the Post Office, which made it tough on those of us relying on things to be shipped to our homes to avoid crowds in malls. Online retailers and pharmacies couldn’t get goods and medications to customers on time. He warned that absentee voting was a rife with fraud, despite the evidence against that lie. We held the safest and most corruption-free election in modern history, yet he claimed that the counting was rigged and his obvious victory was stolen.

When that didn’t work, he replaced the Secretary of Defense with a sycophant who ordered the District of Columbia National Guard to stand down, then he held a little rally. In his presidential remarks, he managed to whip up his supporters, sociopaths, and other dead-enders into a froth, encouraging them to storm the United States Capitol. While there, they managed to get five people killed and over 100 injured.

Despite all of this, his supporters, sycophants, supplicants and other Republican senators can’t seem to find anything wrong with the 45th president’s behavior. They can’t even seem to bring themselves to admit that Joseph R. Biden Jr. won the popular vote and the electoral collage votes to become the 46th President of the United States.

There’s a word for this. It begins with the letter T.

Speaking of insincerity…

Electric Cars For You and You and You

No really. General Motors has announced that they will stop manufacturing internal combustion engines in the next decade. They’ve said this before and walked it back, so there’s no reason to believe them this time except they may be looking for government R&D funding this time. They’ll probably get it, too.

Speaking of funding…

The Stimulus Debit Card

Is it me, or does the stimulus debit card feel like a weird Steve Mnuchin grift? Have you ever heard of that bank? Did you take the time to register on their site so you could transfer the funds to your bank? Shady.

My Birthday Holiday Season Has Begun!

I received the first birthday card for this upcoming momentous birthday today, thus kicking off this year’s Birthday Holiday Season. In case you don’t know the rules, it begins when you receive your first birthday gift and ends when the last candle is blown out. Some years, it has lasted for months.

No, I’m not complaining.

Yes, I am going to buy a replacement cell phone and invoke a discount that is available to people who reach this arbitrary number.

Yes, I will also try to get discounts based on an AARP membership, because I am a cheapskate.

Yes, I feel fine.

No, I don’t think I’ll keep going.

I hope you’re doing well. Take care of yourself.

More later.

Your best pal in the world,

– bob

January 11, 2021

File Under: Progress, Art

Friends,

If you mess around with the aperture and exposure settings in the camera, has the photo technically been manipulated? Probably!

It’s still cool looking and I thought I’d share.

Your pal,

– bob

January 4, 2021

Potato

Friends,

I’m not supposed to have potatoes. When I was first diagnosed with a faulty pancreas, my Dad was distraught. “I hoped you wouldn’t get this,” he said on the phone when I told him the news years ago. Understandable, since his father lost a leg and passed away far too young due to its complications.

My Dad offered this dietary advice back then: “don’t eat white things.” Like what? “Potatoes and rice are the big ones. Bread is the other one. Stay away from them and you should be in good shape.” Good thing he was talking about the common white things and not hominy and tripe because I was already avoiding those things like I avoid maskless crowds in the deli section at Albertson’s.

Unfortunately, I really enjoy the common white foods. Add thyme, shallots, cream, and gruyère and I’m all in. Hip deep. Even if it takes two hours to prepare.

My blood sugar is going to be a disaster.

I hope you’re doing well.

Your best pal,

– bob

January 2, 2021

No Zero Days

Friends,

I joined the hundreds of thousands of people across the globe who essentially took 2020 off. Not from work, at least not on purpose, but from the creative pursuits that we used to enjoy before the darkest year in living memory. Now that that The Orange Menace has been stopped at a single disastrous term in the White House, it’s time to get back to it.

Was I actually waiting for an election? Not really, but it does seem like a good place to plant a marker for a new start. Besides, being sad, out of shape, angry, cooped up in the house, and jobless (Twice! For the same pandemic!) has to end sometime. Why not now?

That’s why I’m taking the opportunity and nudge from C. Spike Trotman of Iron Circus Comics on Twitter to do something creative every day. Writing is the thing I’m doing today. Yesterday it was reinventing my old vegetarian chili recipe to make it gluten-free after almost a decade hiatus. I made it every New Year’s Day for fifteen years or so based on Carrol Shelby’s Chili Mix but without the meat. Now it’s got a big helping of Impossible Burger browned and mixed in. Pretty good!

Tomorrow, I start working on a special project that I’ve been hoping get off the ground for years. This year is the year. It’ll be stupid. I hope you like it.

More later.

Your best pal,

– bob

December 9, 2020

Nature Is Healing: Buzzard Edition

Friends,

It’s Wednesday, and as we start returning to normalcy (at least in 45 days or so), there are a few loose ends in this terrible disaster script that need tying up. Things like Murder Hornets.

Never fear, nature has come to the rescue. Meet the Oriental Honey Buzzard:

And it just so happens that the Oriental Honey Buzzard is the natural enemy of Vespa Velutina and can wipe out a nest in an afternoon.

Now if we could just do something about Ted Cruz…

Your pal,

– bob

P.S. I didn’t take these remarkable photos, but they came from a tweet by Foxfeather Zenkova. She has neat stuff in her store called The Foxloft, which is worth a visit.

November 9, 2020November 9, 2020

The 2020 Jaunty Election Guide – How’d We Do? Edition

Friends,

It’s time to tidy up around here and where better to start than with a bit of self-flagellation for our lack of sway over the electorate. Apparently, besides voting for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris at the top of the ticket, you pretty much ignored the rest of our thoughtful advice. This is going to be bad news for a lot of people pretty quickly, but as we know, reading is hard and it’s sometimes a thrill to vote against your own interests to “own the libs.”

So let’s check in with the Big Decision Tally-Uppers™ to see how we did:

Candidates

Here, we’re three for four. It’s encouraging.

President of The United States – Joseph R. Biden, Vice President – Kamala D. Harris
Winner! Although they won by over four million votes, it seemed like a squeaker because of the Electoral College tally. It’s probably way past time to ditch that and elect presidents based on the popular vote. This will make sparsely populated states in the center of the country feel bad, but they’ve been telling us for four years that they don’t care about what we think. It’s probably time to return the favor.
United States Representative, District 36 – Dr. Raul Ruiz
Also a winner, by a pretty big margin.
United States Representative, District 50 – Ammar Campa-Najjar
Mr. Campa-Najjar has conceded defeat to Darrell Issa in CA-50. Issa ran an attack ad-heavy, fact-light campaign that people apparently believed. A lot of people.
San Diego County Board of Supervisors, 3rd District – Terra Lawson-Remer
Winner! There’s now a progressive Democrat majority running the County, which is a big change from the last few decades. They’ve already been told by Republicans how to behave in the few days since their victory. Being a gracious lot, they have yet to recommend that their colleagues pound sand.

California Propositions

There’s a big list this year, so let’s get to it…

Prop 14 – Authorizes Bonds Continuing Stem Cell Research – Initiative Statute: We picked this one, and it was a winner with 51.0%
Prop 15 – Increases Funding Sources For Public Schools, Community Colleges, and Local Government Services By Changing Tax Assessment Of Commercial And Industrial Property – Initiative Constitutional Amendment: This one lost, only getting 48.2% of the vote. The GOP’s plan to destroy civic structures by calling taxes theft is still working.
Prop 16 – Allows Diversity As A Factor In Public Employment, Education, And Contracting Decisions – Legislative Constitutional Amendment: This one lost, getting only 43.5% of the vote. It looks like 56.5% of Californians are pretty sure that institutional racism isn’t a thing anymore. Or they’re okay with it continuing.
Prop 17 – Restores Right To Vote After Completion Of Prison Term – Legislative Constitution Amendment: This won with 58.9% of the vote, which is great, but I’m still not sure Duncan Hunter should get his voting rights back.
Prop 18 – Amends California Constitution To Permit 17-Year-Olds To Vote In Primary And Special Elections If They Will Turn 18 By The Next General Election And Be Otherwise Eligible To Vote – Legislative Constitutional Amendment: 44.5% said yes to this, not enough to let fired-up teens vote in the primary.
Prop 19 – Changes Certain Property Tax Rules – Legislative Constitutional Amendment: This won with 51.3% because it was billed as the Meemaw Gets To Keep Her House Proposition in the ads.
Prop 20 – Restricts Parole For Certain Offenses Currently Considered To Be Non-Violent. Authorizes Felony Sentences For Certain Offenses Currently Treated Only As Misdemeanors – Initiative Statute: This one lost by big margins, with 62.2% voting against.
Prop 21 – Expands Local Governments’ Authority To Enact Rent Control On Residential Property – Initiative Statute: This one failed as well, with a 59.9% vote against. (hey, for all your wailing, you’re not doing to badly. -ed Just wait. It’s downhill from here.)
Prop 22 – Exempts App-Based Transportation And Delivery Companies From Providing Employee Benefits To Certain Drivers – Initiative Statute: Ridesharing companies poured a ton of money into this with wall-to-wall misleading ads, and it worked! This measure passed with 58.5% of the vote. Sorry gig workers! Looks like you’re going to be wage slaves forever.
Prop 23 – Establishes State Requirements For Kidney Dialysis Clinics. Requires On-Site Medical Professional – Initiative Statute: This failed with 63.9% of the vote against the measure.
Prop 24 – Amends Consumer Privacy Laws – Initiative Statute: This passed with 55.9% of the vote, which is going to be a problem if you want your data off of the Internet. This Google and Facebook-sponsored measure means you have to opt-out of data collection, and can only appeal to a new agency. Sorry privacy advocates!
Prop 25 – Referendum On Law That Replaced Money Bail With System Based On Public Safety And Flight Risk: This failed with only 44.2% voting in favor. I can’t tell if it was a victim of its scary ballot language or if the scheme itself wasn’t fully baked. Proponents will probably try again when they have an actual plan.

Looking back, we only had two really wild misses with independent contractors and with privacy. Good thing nobody needs those things.

Also, the 45th president needs to get packing, so that’s pretty good.

Your pal,

– bob

January 19, 2020

What Are You Doing? Playoff Weekend Edition

Friends,

It’s a lovely January weekend here in Northern San Diego County. Even though the anticipated rain storm never really materialized, we still did inside stuff, like making ravioli. We’re going to wait a bit to try the ravioli (and tortellini made from the same ingredients), but the filling is going to top a pizza in about twenty minutes, so we’ll see how it tastes after the pie is baked.

Speaking of food, we both suffered from brunch at the in-laws’ in-house dining facility. Imagine getting punched in the gut for a few hours and you’ve got something of an idea. Note to self: Next time, skip the omelette bar. No, really.

That wasn’t really the point, though. Being the family tech support, I got to fix music streaming problems (get rid of the web browser and stream from iTunes to Airplay receiver instead), and palm rejection on the laptop (it doesn’t work, hit fn+F3 to turn off the trackpad on the Dell laptop thing).

We also spent some time watching football. So. Boring.

That’s mostly it. Maybe we’ll have a chat about the Hiroshima Carp baseball club and why you should care.

Of course you should care.

Your pal,

– bob

May 7, 2019May 7, 2019

Filling In The Blanks – Signs Of Affection Edition

Friends,

It’s been a little over a year since I got married again. We survived the Wedding Industrial Complex which surprised me, and we came out the other side a happy couple, which surprised exactly no one.

We’re doing other things too, like writing wills and redoing life insurance riders and mingling finances. We’ve even revisited the year-old frozen cake topper with no ill effects. After half a century on this rock spinning around an enormous fireball, I guess it’s about damn time to grow up.

Your pal,

– bob

May 6, 2019May 6, 2019

What Are You Doing? Digging Through The Photos Edition

Friends,

One of the big reasons I’ve started taking a lot more photos is to be able to have something for every post here. Recently, it’s been the reverse. I find that I’m digging through albums to find something interesting to write about.

This is not one of those times. I just saw this glassware in a resale shop lit with a black light and snapped a quick shot.

Oh! This here Internet fever dream received a nice endorsement today from my boss…

“https://www.bobtherieau.com/ is good blog to go to if you want a fun read.”

Granted, it was mentioned to me in a private direct message and apropos of nothing, but I appreciate the sentiment. You know, you can actually like this thing too. Comments are open, or you can go old school and send links this way.

Keep doing that thing you’re doing. It’s really working for you.

Your pal,

– bob