banksy, women of different faiths, and the ventures

So, what do all of those have in common?

They were movies I watched for free, online!

"Banksy And The Rise Of Outlaw Art" was an offering from AARP in their MFG (Movies For Grownups) series.

The film began with probably one of the graphic artist's most famous pranks: the 2018 shredding of his "Girl With Red Balloon" painting after its auction at Sotheby's.

The frame had been rigged, you see, and as soon as the sale was official, the painting began feeding out the bottom, reduced to thin paper ribbons.

Remarkable... though I doubt the buyer would agree.

And just who was Banksy anyway?

All that can be said for sure is he was a Caucasian guy who grew up in Bristol, England; he was careful to wear a mask to hide his identity, as he knew full well when he began his work in the 90's that he could be arrested for defacing property.

The movie included an analysis of "Style Wars", a documentary about graffiti, hiphop, and rap, and break dancing, leading to that art, music, and moves being linked together as though related, even though they were quite separate and not practiced by the same artists.

One quote resonated: "As if the oppressor was never a child, as if heroin was never a flower."

Beauty and innocence abound; it's all about perspective.

That was back on the 16th of the month.

Tonight, on the eve of the catheter ablation to hopefully slow my racing heart, I took on another MFG from AARP, this time about a musical duo that became a foursome.

Bob Bogle and Don Wilson were "The Ventures: Stars On Guitars", two guys who helped promote the use of that instrument by budding musicians, even helping to design affordable versions and putting out records to help teach its use.

Their true skill was being able to play any type of music by just rearranging some chords.

For instance, in 1964 they took the country sound of Chet Atkins' version of "Walk, Don't Run" (which was originally a jazz song) into a surfer's tune for riding waves... and landed in the Top Ten!

However, as skilled as they were, their true calling was to encourage others, leading to them becoming known as "The Band That Launched A Thousand Bands" and making them one of the most prolific instrumental bands of all time.

Honestly, when I read the movie's title, I had wondered who they were.

However, as more of their music was featured I realized I was familiar with their sound, just not with their name, as they were a musician's band, not a dancer's band.

That certainly explains why I didn't recognize their name!

Good movie, as was "Stranger/Sister" two days ago, which was presented as an interfaith event during Women's History Month.

Presented by Mickve Israel, Masjid Jihad, and Asbury Memorial Church, the documentary was about a group called Salaam Shalom, formed of equal numbers of Muslim and Jewish women in search of a rapport and better understanding of their similarities as opposed to focus on their differences.

What I liked most was the refusal of the women to get dragged into political discourse; this 12-year-old group is all about helping each other in living their best lives, not debates about Palestine and Israel..

Good for them!

Best quote: "Pray as if everything depends on God, act as if everything depends on you."

Amen to that!

yowsah! there's a bug in my eye!

Yes, I realize that a creature like that isn't really living in my eye...

at least, I certainly have myself convinced of the improbability that a bug that huge might actually be present in my right eye...

but isn't that what it looks like?

So, just what are we looking at here?

For starters, the retina itself is that bright white line. 

The fuzzy bit of peaked and fraying carpet above it is the vitreous layer.

This is the retinal scan of an eye threatening to lose its sight. 

Conversely, this is the retinal scan of an eye in excellent health.

Notice, please, that the vitreous layer makes two soft, mounded, hills above the retina.

It looks rather like a well-made bed, with the pillows neatly in place and smooth.

That's because this is the retinal scan of my left eye, the one that has behaved so well over the years, the one my brain listens to when I'm looking at anything.

That's because it doesn't have two blind spots like the right eye does.

My sincere thanks to Dr. Smith at the Savannah VA Center for allowing me to take these photos.

See you in December, when it's time for my Christmas glasses!

Now to wait until time for my appointment with Elizabeth Carley of the MOVE! program.

Hopefully I can resume my efforts with weight loss after I've recovered from the ablation surgery on Thursday.

Gotta stay positive!

(smile!)

awesome, opossum!

When I spotted John Donaghy's painting back in January, I had not taken a photo of it, even though it tickled me.

Perhaps it was partly because that was my first trip to that part of MOAS and I had my own theme I was pursuing at the time?

Most likely.

However, when I went back to the Cici and Hyatt building in February, I was taken by the flamingo painting...

which was catecorner to this homely creature, with its leather ears and rat tail...

so I had snapped it, too, planning to show it to the bfe to share a laugh.

That had not yet happened, until today.

He's been proclaimed a "jolly good fellow of diversity" - well, that's my title, not the official one at GaSoU - and it's been a more serious task than a fun one.

So, to distract him a bit, I'd texted the photo, writing "From a gallery in Florida. Thought you would enjoy!"

Honestly, I had not expected a reply.

I'd just wanted to make him smile, right?

And yet, two hours later, we were in a textversation!

him: Ahhh, that's very cute!

me: Awesome possum!

him: Ha ha$. Yeah! I may have to use this image to practice painting an opossum!

me: Very good! I saw it in Daytona, at the museum i so enjoy. This critter made me smile and think of you rhyming it with awesome. Hahaha!

him: Very nice! Whatcha up to this evening? You chilling out or got plans?

me: Nothing tonight. About to see The Lost City with Carolyn at the cinema on Stephenson. Reminds me of Romancing The Stone!

him: I saw that at the drive in! Romancing the Stone, that is!

me: Absolutely loved it!

him: I hardly remember it! Maybe I should revisit it.

me: This new Sandra Bullock movie is similar, but lots of differences to perk it up. Already saw it yesterday!

him: It's that good?!?!?

me: It's a hopeful romantic movie, too. That's my jam! Plus, lots of adventure and laughs!

me: Most def my jam!

him: Well, tonight I *think* I am going to watch Eraserhead... I have heard so much about it but have never seen it.

me: It's been a while since I watched that, lots of yelling as I recall.

him: Good to know since I will listen with headphones!

me: Mind those eardrums! Maybe only wear one headphone! 

me: Or place them on the temporal bone.

him: You are telling me! I gotta keep my ears and my eyes! 

him: Can't be listening to Led Zep at 11.

me: Nor anything else! Say what??

him: Huh? Did you say something?

me: Lol!

 

And off I go, to do what I said I was doing!

(smile!)

modern dinosaurs and mileage

There it is, long neck extended as it meanders down the road, hot tar under its heavy tread.

That beast, as well as a smaller, much faster creature that likes to push the tar around, plus a few other lumbering relatives of the prehistoric ilk, have been out there in front of my house every day this week.

Seriously.

Fortunately, they don't start making racket until after 10 AM, as a rule, so that's workable for retirees.

(smile!)

I finally had to take a break from the noise of their foraging.

Off I went to "The Lost City", hoping, hoping, hoping it would be the movie I hoped it would be... and it was!!!

There were even some obvious ties to "Romancing The Stone", but with more than enough new material to make it stand on its own merits!

Honestly, I very nearly watched it again!

Then, when I was back to my car, thoughts of mileage popped into my head.

So, I looked at the odometer:

2 2 2 5 5 5

Well, isn't that cool?!

Right place, right time!

(smile!)

first-ever SJCAF!

And, now, it has come to an end, on a rainy Thursday afternoon.

I missed the very start of it, but that's because the newsletter had not arrived in time.

(Thanks, Adam, for keeping me on the newsletter mailing list all these years!)

By the time the Savannah Jewish Educational Alliance news arrived, it was already March 8th and the Savannah Jewish Cultural Arts Festival was beginning its second week!

I had immediately contacted mi amiga Barbara, thinking that surely Sandy had told her.

Nope, Boo didn't have a clue!

As good fortune would have it, one of the movies was playing that very night.

Even better, the student she was to tutor that evening had canceled on her.

Would I like for her to pick me up and take me to the JEA for the film?

Why, yes, very much so!

And off we had gone to "Greener Pastures"!

I know, it sounds like some idyllic romp in the country...

but, that's not it at all.

A widower is living in a state-run senior center, after losing his pension to employer mismanagement of the fund, and also losing his house.

But his legal-eagle daughter-in-law starts a seed in his mind: sell the state-allotted marijuana to the public, then take the money to buy back his house.

He even gets others who are 75+ to chip in their free packages of cannabis and soon has a smokin' hot business!

Well, until a rowdy cop sniffs them out!

Hahahaha! Hahaha!

(Like those puns? I couldn't resist!)

She and I had both liked it very much, and we had agreed: this was not a film that would have been shown in the Savannah Jewish Film Festivals of past years.

Then again, that's not what the JEA was presenting for 2022.

For their first SJCAF, films were only part of the entertainment!

The comedy show, some cooking classes, a concert, some meals: all played a role, along with the films, to entertain, to educate, and to enlighten.

Barbara and I agreed to meet for the Thursday afternoon matinee.

This time, I drove myself, as I wanted to be there for the noon30 lunch - salmon, potatoes, and sauteed asparagus! 

I was the only local at a table full of transplants, mostly from Chicago, so the chat was mostly about real estate. 

Along with the conversation, there was a very nice salad, plus apple strudel for dessert!

The reason for the German pastry became obvious at movie time... "Schönes Schlamassel", was that day's screening, and the German title translates to "A Fine Mess"... and so it was!

He loves her, but she only loves guys who are Jewish, mostly due to misplaced guilt from something her family had done during WWII, so he pretends to be Jewish.

Meanwhile, his friend loves her friend, but she loves a married man who has been stringing her along for years.

It's all fun and games until someone gets pregnant!

Yes, indeed, quite a fine mess!

Barbara had enjoyed that one, too!

She only made it to one more with me, on the 15th.

(That was another Tuesday, as it happens, so that tutoring job has issues.)

This movie was one of the few with a familiar name in it: Ed Asner!

In "Tiger Within", he was a Holocaust survivor who stumbles upon a homeless teen with a swastika on the back of her jacket.

He had just visited his wife's grave and, for her sake, he decided to try to help the girl.

Good movie, but the most surprising aspect was the discovery that punk rock has made a comeback, after forty years gone!

Amazing!

The lemon chicken dinner before the screening was pretty amazing, too!

(smile!)

So, there was a brief hiatus while St. Patrick's Day took over the rest of the week.

It would be another Tuesday before another dinner and movie.

But I didn't go alone!

The physicist came along with me!

And we dined on New York-style deli sandwiches (meaning rye bread, a mound of corned beef, shaved lettuce, mustard, and dill pickle spears), homemade potato chips, a cucumber-tomato salad, and chocolate chip cookies - my treat!

The we watched an art-house movie, featuring seven or eight characters that sang about their interaction with the Jew who broke the banks in 2008.

"A Kaddish For Bernie Madoff" was the filmed version of the musical the artist had been performing for about five years at the time, based on her artist residency on Wall Street during that tumultuous time.

Why had she been so taken with the story?

The man looked like her father, with his kind eyes.

It was just that simple: a Jew who looked like he could be related to her, also a Jew, and who had preyed on Jews.

And after the movie, after the artist had gotten the requisite number (ten) of fellow artists to sing kaddish with her for the excommunication of this man who had disgraced his race, after the credits began to roll, something different happened.

No one clapped.

Not one single person.

Nor did folks linger behind to talk a little after the movie.

That was definitely something different.

The bfe and I talked about it in the car, and I impressed upon him how different these films were from the usual fare at these particular film festivals.

Then, again, this isn't the SJFF; it's the inaugural SJCAF.

Perhaps, in order to show a wider scope of Jewish life - the cannabis-smoking pensioners, the shiksa dating only Jews, the swastika-wearing punk rocker, and this musical centered on a money-grubbing Jew - the name change of the festival was needed.

I know it ended back on an even keel with the old format.

(Trust me, that's an inside joke; you'll have to watch the film.)

"1618" answered the question about the lack of Jewish culture in Portugal.

Set in a harbor town in the northern part of that country, it showed that those who were still Jewish by birth (i.e., born of Jewish mothers) were now "new Christians", being careful to hide any vestiges of their heritage.

Then a representative of the Pope comes to town, seeking to rid it of any people who were still keeping their Jewish names and driving a wedge between the tradespeople and the mayor, as well as the Catholic church.

I didn't know anyone except Lonnie this time around.

Matinee movies don't work for working folks!

But that meant I had another good lunch - always such a very good deal at just $7!

This time, it was meatloaf that would have rivaled my velvety version, with a most generous serving of three pieces!

Yes, I ate every one of them, too!

I ate all of the roasted potatoes, as well, and each and every green bean!

How wonderful to have a meal I didn't make!

Plus, thanks to Vera and Jim and Penny, I was able to trot out the story of my name, as well as give a plug for travel to Rome.

(smile!)

That was while we all waited to see what dessert was forthcoming.

Cookies? Cake? Pastry?

None of those baked goods.

Fresh pineapple, fresh and tart oranges, fresh cantaloupe.... oh.

Good, but... not quite "wow".

Good meal and good company, though, so that's what mattered!

(smile!)

fixing damage from hurricane matthew

All day long, big machines have been convening in front of my house, tearing up the road, then pounding it back into place and recovering its surface until it's smooth once more.

It hasn't been smooth for almost six years.

That's how long it's been since Hurricane Matthew roared into town, accompanied by tornado action that felled five trees in a row in the park.

The roots of that great oak had caused the road to buckle as it fought to stay anchored, shattering the curb as well.

That curb is now shiny and white, having been replaced a few weeks ago, along with several other areas of damaged curbstone in this area.

When the physicist had brought me home last night, the crew was already working on the street there and had one lane roughed out.

I was talking to him about the wind damage from 2016 and pointed down toward some newly laid curbing on the park side, about three houses down from me.

"That's where the tornado took out five trees in a row," I told him, "ripping them up by the roots before smashing one into a house."

He looked absolutely shocked.

I think part of that might be from how slowly I move these days.

He had parked close to the JEA, so I could do my odd little walk: five paces, then change-step, five paces, then change-step.

I even explained that the change-step is an abbreviated pace, sometimes staying in place, and is used to keep a company together as they march in unison around a corner.

Yet another little loss adjustment on my part, as I deal with atrial fibrillation.

I'm so blessed to have him as my bfe.

He's been quite concerned about my health and has offered to bring groceries to me on his way home from the university.

He's even offered to pull my trash bins to the curb for me when I need that done!

I'm going to make sure I ask for his help with those, and with the shopping, too.

I really need to do better about letting those who love me help me.

I really do, and I'm going to try.

As Carolyn says, "just use baby steps, but keep going, and soon you'll be back to your strong, independent self!"

Yes, ma'am, I'll do my best, control freak that I am.

(smile!)

plain, yellow, wrapper

Even though there was nothing distinguishing about the package's exterior, I knew from whence it came without looking at the label: the Savannah Bananas.

They're the only ones in town using that shade of yellow.

I had actually thought of calling them earlier today, to find out when they might have mailed the merchandise I'd ordered...

and then the mail arrived and there was that beacon, glowing practically amidst all the junk mail and requests from charities.

Such a welcome and cheery sight!

Good timing, too!

I have spent the past few days with constructive projects, trying to anticipate and get accomplished anything important that might need done in the weeks after my surgery on the 31st.

That's because I know I will be stoo-pid from the anesthesia and would rather not have to fix mistakes I make under the influence of those drugs.

So what kinds of projects have I tackled?

Well, the Federal and Georgia taxes, for one; I started those last Wednesday, then triple-checked all of it before sending it off Saturday night.

That was a big relief!

I've also caught up the business tax paperwork for Smitty, spending a solid three hours on that task.

Good news on that front: he'll be 62 in July and is closing the business at the end of June!

(I think partly that is because his son has usurped his company name, so it will be easier on the customers if there is only one "Smitty's Hardwood" in town.)

I've also tackled GEICO three times - by online chat, by email, and by phone - to question why my rate increased 18% for this next six months.

"Oh," they said, "it's because of where you live and how much car parts cost now."

That's just drivel. 

So, with no relief from them, I've looked into auto insurance from other sources and hope to make a final decision this coming week.

I've also been working on the various legal documents that are part of my Trust.

That's a more monumental task than I had thought, mostly because I have been operating under the assumption that I had more of it done than I do.

Over the years since it was created, I've had a couple of sessions with Smith & Barid and, like I said, thought more was complete than incomplete.

At least I have it funded... but I need to get papers finalized.

Part of the extra complication is trying to make sure I take care of the investors who helped me get the patent on my invention.

That's very important, especially as the patent has been approved since January 4th.

I even went to the web blog that For Sale By Inventor had set up more than four years ago - yes, that's how long it takes to get a patent, so be prepared, dreamers!

That blog makes use of Wordpress, a format I'm not adept with, so I have elected to start a new blog over here in Blogspot.

The very first post is all about how I developed the idea for The Periodic Table For The Visually Impaired, which I think of as the Elements Of Touch Periodic Table.

(Trust me, I googled the name before I chose it all those years ago, not wanting students or teachers to look for it and wind up directed to pornography. What a relief to find the name was clean!)

Future posts will introduce how to best utilize my invention to better understand how atoms - whether of the same or different elements - bond together to form molecules.

I am sure all chemistry students will find this to be very helpful in their studies and I'm hoping it will encourage more students to take chemistry for a better understanding of the world around them.

Whew! That's been quite a bit of work!

Now, just why had I started with talk of baseball?

Because that's what's on the shirt!

When I had first seen the limited-edition t-shirt promoting the Savannah Bananas World Tour of Banana Ball, I had mistaken those bright green areas for seaweed.

I had! 

And I had thought, "what a lovely reference to the Atlantic Ocean!"

I had!

Then I realized those were the stitches in a baseball... d'oh!

And I bought it anyway.

If nothing else, I'll have a nice story to tell about why I have it.

(smile!)
Now, time to get ready for the physicist to fetch me!

We're having dinner and a movie tonight!

(smile!)

finally seeing my first niece again!

The last time she and I saw each other was the last Wednesday in December of 2021.

How do I recall that so vividly?

Well, it's partly because I had pre-sold our planned meeting - that's radio lingo for talking about the next song that will be coming up after a break.

(Hey, I had to have picked up some of the lingo after being married to a disc jockey for fifteen years!)

Here we are after seeing "Sing 2", with Christina and I trying to have a talk while Miyah and Chloe wanted this and that.

Usual situation!

Today, we finally broke our dry spell and met up for the first time this year - hooray!

Funny, she doesn't look a year older!

Well, that's because she had already completed most of that lap around the sun last year and had less than three months to finish in 2022, right?

I had packaged her 39-for-the-first-time birthday gifts in a tall, black, paper bag.

She's holding one of the two musicals I'd helped kickstart with Mama's money after Frank died, so, as I told Christina in the card, these gifts come not only from me, but also from her Grammy and Pop.

That makes them super special!

(smile!)

And can you read the title?

Yep, it's "Sudden Death!" alright, and she even remarked on John Larroquette being in it!

How about that?!

I would have bet she was too young to know who he was!

So, I told her how he came to be in this musical little short in which everyone dies.

She loves that it's only about twenty minutes long, so she can easily carve out the time to watch it when the girls are napping.

I think she'll love the catchy little tunes, too!

(smile!)

And guess what?

As soon as she saw the dvd cover, she immediately recognized Emily Browning, the lead singer and actress in "God Help The Girl"!

That's the full-length musical portion of her gift.

Remember that one, from the folks in England?

That's the musical that had its premiere in Tallahassee a few years back, the musical that the physicist had gone with me to see as well as my cousin Penny.

Maybe she and I can watch the two musicals together some time, maybe when the girls are having a sleepover at their cousins' house... now, that's a fine idea!

(smile!)

Speaking of the girls, there they are!

They went to the two-hour "Disney On Ice" show earlier, along with Dad and Bubba, then all came to the Cici's for pizza, pizza, pizza!

That's were I had joined them!

Chris and CJ had left before I took this picture, so I didn't get to snap one with them, but I did catch the girls playing with the dolls they got as souvenirs from the skating show.

That's why Christina and I thought we could catch some quality time, just us two... what silly geese we were!

Like the kids would stand for that - hahahaha!

Well, hopefully our next meeting will be sooner rather than later!

(smile!)

package full of life!

Hidden inside this nondescript, practically indestructible, outer wrapper are three vials that promise protection from stroke.

I've even outlined the shapes of those medicine bottles.

No one would ever guess drugs worth almost two grand are inside such a bland exterior.

What's that about good things in small packages?

I'll take this over jewelry any day of the week.

198th, and counting

When I awoke to pee at 0530, I was still awake two hours later.

Might as well get up for "Toon In With Me", right?

And look what they had: a St. Patrick's Day theme!

The Pink Panther even turned green in his cartoon!

Plus, I was just in time to catch The Sham Rock uttering his namesake's catchphrase - LOL!

He should have been cooking colcannon and corned beef!

I did crawl back into bed after that and slept until my second alarm roused me. 

Time for breakfast and metoprolol... and, as it happened, to catch the start of the parade!

WTOC even had it 'mercial-free for the first hour, so that was good.

Here's fellow Legionaire Jimmy Ray, chatting with anchors Dawn and Mike.

And this is an aerial view of the crowd that came to town to watch the parade and drink green beer.

You'll notice that this is just of River Street... none of the downtown area with the squares and the parade, just the strip running along the Savannah River.

So very glad to not be part of the madness and the folks jostling!

Been there, done that, so over it.

Still, I do hope to drive in that direction, by Forsyth Park, in the next day or so.

The fountain should still be spouting green-tinged water all over its statues - I like that.

Also, all the azaleas are blooming their little hearts out!

Pink! White! Purple! Coral! Fuchsia! Red!

I wonder if they have bees a-buzzin' all 'round?

I wonder if they have any little green glass snakes sheltering under them, too.

I feel sure there must be snakes, though I cannot recall every seeing any there.

Maybe someone has driven them out... like Saint Patrick is doing in this cartoon!

Like, literally!

What a crazy road trip that would be - LOL!

Thanks to Lynn for this one, and to JinHi for the fountain, and to Tomasz for River Street!

Now, I'm off to finally see "The Batman", all three hours of it.

Hope it lives up to the hype!

march madness movie mania!

I had found out late last Tuesday that comcast was offering a plethora of free flicks on the premium channels On Demand and I thought to myself: why not a film festival with a single selection from each of the participating channels?

Why not, indeed!

And thus began the March Madness Movie Mania!

Woohoo!

And just how did I select the movies which were viewed?

All they had to do was 1) appeal to my curiosity, and 2) be new to me.

Amazing how easily those two parameters were satisfied!

MMMM ended on Monday night, so I'm a little late posting this... but that's okay, right?

Right!

Jolly well right, as Supertramp would say!

So, buckle up and hang on tight... here it comes!

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

March Madness Movie Mania

 

epix On Demand: 

"A Matter Of Time" (1976)
30-year-old Liza Minelli as a young woman who comes to Rome as a maid at a hotel, but ends up befriending an aging countess (61-year-old Ingrid Bergman) who fuels her imagination and aspirations!

starz On Demand: 

"10 Items Or Less" (2006)
69-year-old Morgan Freeman as himself, researching an upcoming role as a big-store manager by hanging out in one with the only store clerk (30-year-old Paz Vega) who has a clue how to do their job - nice cameos by Jonah Hill, Bill Parsons, Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman, Kumar Pallana, and Bobby Cannavale.

Savannah JEA: "Schönes Schlamassel" (2020) aka "Nice Mess" aka "Love And Mazel Tov"
Anne only dates Jewish men and was working on Tobias, but she brought Laura to the double-date and he brought Daniel and the couples got switched up; that left shiksa Anne with Daniel, who was Catholic but pretended to be Jewish to please her... and it worked! But then she gets pregnant and he decides to come clean - ah, young romance!

TCT Ch 15: 

"Ruling Of The Heart" (2018) 

A judge having a bad day proceeds to be harsh to those in his courtroom... then finds himself stranded by a snowstorm, trapped in a diner with two of those whose cases he'd ruled on.

Pretty good psychological study about not judging books by their covers.

cinemax On Demand: 

"Seeking A Friend For The End Of The World" (2012)
50-year-old Steve Carrell and 27-year-old Keira Knightley, neighbors in an apartment complex, find Asteroid Miranda due to end all life on Earth... but not before they can set right some parts of their lives that went amiss.

Quite a charming movie... and I'm not usually a fan of his work!

Plus, cameos by Rob Corddry, William Petersen, Martin Sheen, Adam Brody... nice.

showtime On Demand: 

"23 Walks" (2020)
Dave Johns and 74-year-old Alison Steadman, with their respective dogs Tilley and Henry, meet while walking their dogs in an English park.

There follows a period of friendship, as they meet by happenstance or on purpose over the next weeks and months.

Quite a realistic picture of older folks learning love and trust and romance.

Cinema Savannah @ Savannah Cultural Arts Center: 

"Lunana: A Yak In The Classroom" (2019)
And the beast's name was Norfu.

Seriously, this tiny little town of about 60 people, located six-days' worth of walking up a mountain in the country of Bhutan, quite literally had a yak in the one-room school.

The young man tasked by the Bhutan government - in its goal of Gross National Happiness - seriously - was in his last year of duty, and this was his last post.

Then he would be free to go to Australia and be a singer!

But, first, he had to teach in this tiny, tiny town.

Uplifting story about the value of teachers!

up faith & family On Demand: 

"Mystery Woman: Sing Me A Murder" (2004) s1e4
Bookstore owner Kellie Martin solves another murder, with the aid of Philby (Clarence Williams III), her man Friday and one-time G-man, in the Hallmark series.
This time, the three members of a band she loved in college, Bacon Donuts, have come to town for a charity concert, but their manager gets killed.

Which of them did it? Or was it someone else?

here tv On Demand: 

"The 10 Year Plan" (2014)
Ah, such a sad thing that so much sweet manflesh is reserved for other men!
Myles and Brody have been friends for a while, but when Myles finds himself dumped on his 25th birthday, they make a pact to marry each other in ten years if they are not already otherwise spoken for.

Predictable, but still lots of fun... and lots of bare chests and butts!

pfs via youTube: 

"Bone: A Bad Day In Beverly Hills" (1972)
32-year-old Yaphet Kotto as a man who preys on the rich - but this time he finds that Bill and Bernadette, the ones in the biggest mansion, are drowning in debt - plastic rich, cash poor - what's a thief to do?

Here's the link to watch!

hbo kids On Demand: 

"Catch That Kid" (2004)
14-year-old Kristen Stewart and two rivals for her affections set out to rob a bank... but only need $250,000 for her dad's surgery - wall climbing, go-kart racing, and bank robbery - what's not to like?

lifetime movie club On Demand: 

"The Last Of Robin Hood" (2013)
How could I possibly resist a sword-fighting Kevin Kline?
And what a fine figure he cut as 40-something Errol Flynn, even at 66 years old (the actor's real age at the time)!

This one scene, with him dancing around nude, rose between his lips, hat over his cock, is well worth it!
No wonder teenager Beverly Aadland (19-year-old Dakota Fanning) fell for his advances, and her mom (67-year-old Susan Sarandon) overlooked the hanky-panky going on.

up tv: 

"The Song To My Heart" (2022)
Bonnie has turned her grandmother's seed store into a tea cafe, while preserving and updating her dad's recording studio in the back.
Enter Ryder, trying to break his writer's block and looking to her dad to help... but finding out that it was the mom who wrote the lyrics to his famous tunes, and that Bonnie, with her poetry, has her mom's gift with words.

Yes, it's predictable, but it's pretty sweet, too.

hbo On Demand: 

"Fay Grim" (2006)
I had not known, but this was "the rest of the story", as Paul Harvey would say.

Fay is still kinda sorta married to Henry Fool, but he's been gone for almost a decade, having deserted her and their son.

However, the son has recently received a toy viewer that has him expelled from school, as the image inside is of an orgy in progress - say what?

Up pops the CIA agent (Jeff Goldblum, only name I knew), wanting Fay to help them retrieve two volumes of the 8-volume book of confessions written by Henry Fool, and now possessed by the French government.

Very interesting movie! Maybe I'll find the first one some time!

hbo On Demand: 

"Free Guy"!!! (2020)
Oh, great, delicious, banana cream sandwiches with bubble gum ice cream!

I do so love, love, love this movie!

How delightful to have spotted it by happenstance Sunday night, so I could wake up with its loveliness to accompany my breakfast on Monday!

Hooray!!!

here On Demand: 

"Out West" (2012)
Think "Legally Blonde", but set in cattle country and with lots of sex by all players!

Lots of references to "The Wizard Of Oz", too, including a pair of ruby red stilletos!

UP family & faith On Demand: 

"Mystery Woman: Wild West Mystery" (2006)
Aired almost exactly 16 years ago, on a March 18 evening; I saw it on March 14.
I had very nearly watched "Free Guy" again, but I do enjoy these Hallmark movies.

This time, the Red River Rodeo was in town for its annual show, and everyone was having fun... until someone got shot for real and died.

Very nice follow-up to the previous western!

tuesday was a very good day!

For starters, 'brother mine' Smitty came by and weed-whacked my front yard.

Then, using my mower, he cut the front yard and the back yard.

(It was his first time using a battery-powered lawnmower and he really liked it!)

He also trimmed the dead lantana by the front porch and elsewhere in the front, then took care of the growth in the side yard, too.

Hallelujah!

Now the crazy old lady next door - that would be Diane Sullivan - has no reason to call the city Code Compliance people on me.

What a relief.

Smitty also brought over the typewriter, and the package from the IRS, so I can take care of some tax forms for his business.

The three hours it took me were well worth getting my yard brightened!

Of course, that had to wait until I returned from my chemistry gals' luncheon.

Yvonne had set it up last week, with five of us descending upon Sweet Potatoes Kitchen.

Besides me and her, Brooke, Cathy Mac and Lea were also there.

They were on on spring break this week, so two hours of leisure time around a dining table was a perfect activity for the week!

I was last to arrive, and I came in slowly, so when Yvonne asked how I was, I told them.

"I have atrial fibrillation right now, but I'll have the catheter ablation surgery on March 31st and that will hopefully get me back to myself again."

That done, we all were free to talk of other things, and we did, with them telling me about students not doing the online homework (yep, I had that experience, too) and students cheating on the online tests (yep, sadly, I've had that happen, too), and upcoming birthdays and ages (Yvonne-65, Cathy-69, Lea-44, Brooke-39 [same age as my first niece today!]).

What a quick two hours that was!

Then, I came home and the yard was be-yoo-ti-ful and I had paperwork awaiting me.

(smile!)

At 6 PM, I had another meal out with others!

This was at the Savannah JEA, featuring lemon chicken, roasted vegetables, and pasta.

But, first, there was salad and getting to know my table mates.

Ellie was there with her mom and dad (Jessica and Jacob) and she will be 16 years old on the 16th - that's tomorrow!

I very much enjoyed talking with her about college, encouraging her to talk to her professors.

I very much enjoyed her granddad, Mike, too - what a hoot!

He reminded me of my stepdad, Frank, who would have been 100 years old last month.

Time does keep marching ever forward, doesn't it?

And just as the meal follows the salad, dessert follows the meal - well, most of the time, for most people, though not necessarily for me or Joe Guy.

Hahahaha! Hahaha!

I'm guessing this dessert was in our that little inside joke and my preference to eat dessert along with my meal; why else would it have such a look of surprise on its face?

I was happy to have waited, though, as the chocolate chip treats arrived warm and gooey - just perfect!

All at the table agreed - fresh and hot was best!

Just like with Krispy Kreme doughnuts!

We all lingered a bit longer, until we were finally hustled off to the screening room for the Ed Asner film...but more about that later!

(smile!)

i'm zooming as fast as i can!

Good thing, too, as walking too fast takes my breath away... and not in a good way.

The Savannah Music Festival held its Volunteer Orientation via the electronic platform this year, for the first time.

I suspect they will consider doing that again, as they had almost fifty people show up.

That's almost twice what they usually get in person!

I suspect partly that was because no one had to hunt for parking at one of the downtown venues, nor did anyone have to pay for that parking - definitely pluses.

The meeting ran for about 45 minutes, going through the new handbook for the benefit of the many new volunteers, and refreshing rules for us regulars.

I had about ten minutes to switch gears before my next ZOOM at 7 PM.

Bunker B-I-N-G-O with the KC Crew was back already - hallelujah!

I do so enjoy the energy and the joyfulness that Audrey and Grant bring to the game!

He did all the calling of the numbers, letting her handle the trivia questions, as that seems to be their favorite modus operandi.

I do so enjoy those bits of minutia she finds!

For instance, did you know Barbie was created a year after I was born?

That makes her a senior citizen who will be eligible for Social Security benefits this year!

Hahahaha! Hahaha!

This is one of the 'chats' I had with Grant!

I had started with "my card is broken, just have the free space"... and Grant addressed me by name, saying "This next one is for you, Faustina!"

"Did that help?"

"naw, that didn't do it"

Then, one ball later, he pulled one I had! Whew!

That was on the green card.

Grant had asked us to name our favorite green things and one of the guys mouthed off something that not only tickled me, but got Grant's attention: "grasshopper in a blender".

Grant said, "Man, Mike, that's a little dark tonight!"

Quick as a flash, Mike fired back, "I didn't say the blender was on."

All I could think was how much it all reminded me of evening shift dialogues at the base, after the day shift had left.

Joking around, with not-quite-right senses of humor... oh, yeah!

Now, let me go ahead and sign up for next month's game!

Bye!

guess geico gets to stay

When the new premium notice arrived, I couldn't believe it had taken another jump up.

We've been in pandemic mode for two years and the greedy insurance company wants to dig even deeper into my pocket???

So, I logged in and had a little chat.

- - - - - 

GEICO Virtual Assistant (3/9/2022, 5:18:23 PM):
Hi, I'm your GEICO virtual assistant.
I can help with policy and claims questions.
    
null (3/9/2022, 5:19:03 PM):
Why did my auto insurance increase by more than 18%?

GEICO Virtual Assistant (3/9/2022, 5:19:08 PM):
Billing can change for a variety of reasons.
Would you like to discuss your billing with a licensed agent?

null (3/9/2022, 5:19:20 PM):
Chat with Agent

Amelia S (3/9/2022, 5:21:28 PM):
Hi, this is Amelia and I'd be happy to take a look at your policy!
To start, what is your first and last name?

null (3/9/2022, 5:22:50 PM):
Faustina S
I am trying to ascertain why my auto insurance has INCREASED by almost 18%.
Hello? Amelia, are you there?

Amelia S (3/9/2022, 5:26:31 PM):
Thanks for chatting with me today, Faustina.
I'll be happy to help with your premium.
Please give me one moment while I pull up your policy.

null (3/9/2022, 5:26:43 PM):
Sure.

Amelia S (3/9/2022, 5:30:59 PM):
Thank you for your patience.
I see that we've changed our rates in Georgia because we have new data for driving statistics and vehicle parts replacement costs in the state, so we've adjusted your rate accordingly starting 04/12. 

You're still receiving our Good Driver Discount for having a safe driving record. 

You can view the changes in your premium by clicking 'View Next Renewal' on the main page of the app.
I'm going to take a look at your discount options to make sure you're getting the best rate.

null (3/9/2022, 5:32:37 PM):
I'm retired, and have been retired for the last four years.
I was told when I called a year or so ago that my being retired would keep my rate low, but that doesn't seem to be the case now.
I received my new policy yesterday, so that is why I am contacting GEICO now, to find out why such a huge increase and what can be done to change that.

Amelia S (3/9/2022, 5:35:22 PM):
We do take your retired status into consideration when determining your rate.
We have your vehicle listed as personal use only.
This statewide rate increase affects all our policyholders in Georgia.
I'm going to take a look at your discount options.

null (3/9/2022, 5:36:11 PM):
Thank you. I belong to Alpha Chi Sigma, if that helps.
My car is 21 years old, I am the only one who drives it and I don't do ride shares or that nonsense.

Amelia S (3/9/2022, 5:38:05 PM):
I see that you're taking advantage of all your available discounts, with $92.80 in savings every six months. 

We do have your Alpha Chi Sigma affiliation on file.

null (3/9/2022, 5:41:19 PM):
Well, I can't afford an extra $106.80 per year in auto insurance.
I don't understand how it is that I'm doing all the right things as a driver, but my rate is skyrocketing. 

I have been a loyal driver with GEICO for more than three decades. 

Doesn't loyalty hold any sway?
I am terrified at the thought of buying a new car, as I have no idea how I would pay to insure it, if it costs this much for my 2001 car.

Amelia S (3/9/2022, 5:44:19 PM):
I completely understand wanting to save money.
I see that you've been a part of the GEICO family for 22 years, and I would like to thank you for your loyalty. 

We do take tenure into account when determining your rate. 

You're still receiving our Good Driver Discount for having a safe driving record. 

We do take your driving history into consideration when determining your rate, so you are receiving a better rate than someone with a less than stellar driving record.
Would you like a quote to lower any of your coverages to make your policy more affordable?

null (3/9/2022, 5:46:43 PM):
I have been with GEICO far longer than 22 years.
I was with them before I got married in 1992, then I talked my husband into going with GEICO. 

He and I were on a policy together until our divorce in 2007.

His name if Jeffrey McDermott.

Amelia S (3/9/2022, 5:47:16 PM):
I apologize, I'm only able to see that your current policy number has been active for 22 years. 

I understand your concern about your rate, and I see that we have your education and retirement status on file, your vehicle usage is correctly listed, and you're receiving all your available discounts, so you're currently getting the best rate we can offer for your current coverages. 

Would you like a quote to lower your coverages to make your premium more affordable?

null (3/9/2022, 5:47:19 PM):
I guess I would like a quote to see if that will help.

Amelia S (3/9/2022, 5:48:18 PM):
If we remove Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury then this would make your renewal premium $267.30 per six months.

null (3/9/2022, 5:50:22 PM):
Yes, I already looked at that.
Thank you.
However, I have had an accident years ago with a driver who fled the scene, so I know the value of having that coverage.

Amelia S (3/9/2022, 5:52:12 PM):
I completely understand, it is an important coverage to have.
The only other coverage I could delete would be Emergency Road Service.
This would lower your six month premium by $24.80.

null (3/9/2022, 5:53:35 PM):
No, I definitely know the value of that peace of mind.
Okay, I guess I need to consider my options.
Thank you for your assistance, Amelia.

Amelia S (3/9/2022, 5:54:17 PM):
Its been my pleasure, and I hope that you'll decide to stay with GEICO after reviewing your options.
Is there anything else I can help you with today?

null (3/9/2022, 5:54:34 PM):
No, thank you for asking.

- - - - -

That was three days ago.

After that, I checked with several other car insurance companies.

The General wanted more than $160 PER MONTH... and I'm a good driver!

Liberty Mutual wanted about $50 more month than Geico did.

I even checked with AARP's group, and even though they were slightly less, they did not offer any kind of road assistance program.

Then I checked with Navy Federal's group and they were pretty much the same as Geico.

How frustrating.

Then, today, Geico sent an email wanting to know how I'd liked the chat.

Hey, they asked... so I told them.

- - - - -

-good-   (middle choice of 5) - mostly because Amelia had been so courteous -

I needed help with the 18% INCREASE in my auto insurance.
I did not receive that help.
Instead, I was told generic rationale, such as "increased number of claims in Georgia" and "increased cost of auto parts in Georgia".
Those were not helpful.
What would have been helpful was to know what ages are having more claims,
what types of drivers were having more claims,
what auto makers had more expensive car parts.
In other words, more specifics would have helped me to understand why I had such a huge increase in MY auto insurance.

- - - - -

So, I have until April 11 to make a final decision.

Who knows?

Maybe all my squeaking of the wheel will have an effect...

but I won't hold my breath.

I'll just hold onto my money until the last minute.

busy, vibrant, ant, in purple flowers

This picture was hanging in the second doctor's office of the day.

The first appointment had been with Ms. Barker at the Savannah VA, at 0800.

That had been made yesterday afternoon, when I was about to lose my mind about the distinct possibility of running out of the Eliquis.

Trust me, that was the last thing I wanted to happen, as the warnings with the drug basically guarantee a stroke if the medicine is stopped.

That's why, when the nurse (Raquel) asked what was my principal reason for today's visit, I answered bluntly.

"I want to make sure I don't die of a stroke before my birthday in two months, when I'll be 64."

Every word was absolutely true.

She knew it, too.

My blood pressure was up, my pulse was running like a wild thing, and I was in tears.

That's because it has seemed for the last two weeks that no one at the VA, either here or in Charleston, was helping me with getting prescriptions for the two new drugs, nor with approving via community care the post-hospital visit with the cardiologist.

Let me amend that statement.

Rick Bright, with the Savannah VA Pharmacy, helped greatly, and quickly.

I honestly cannot speak too highly of him and his efforts on my behalf.

He even called to check on me on Monday and see how I was doing.

However, I'd heard naught from my PCP and what little I heard from the Charleston VA Community Care had not helped at all.

The best, most useful, information I received about VA matters had been through a civilian source: the cardiologist's receptionist.

Yesterday, when I was on the third call of the day to that office, the frantic tone of my voice must have prompted her to ask if I knew whether the post-hospital visit was included with the emergency authorization for the hospital stay.

I did not, nor had anyone mentioned that to me.

She told me one post-hospital visit with the attending doctor was usually included.

Then she gave me the phone number for the National Call Center of the VA Community Care Network (1-877-881-7618) and told me to ask them if that was the case for me, and to obtain the emergency authorization number from them.

And that's what I'd done, speaking with Edith, who had assured me the cardiologist visit was, indeed, included, as well as any tests that might be run, as long as the visit was done by March 13th.

i thank You, God.

I had, of course, notified Ms. Barker of this when I saw her today.

Surprisingly, she already was aware of that and had been surprised I had not been told.

I guess that's something my PCP's nurse forgot to mention.

Sigh.

Anyway, the two medications have been added to my approved list now and I need not worry about running out of either.

Here's the funny thing: I may not need either in the future.

All that fretting, all those tears, all those emails and phone calls... all moot, quite possibly.

That's the upshot of my 1030 appointment with Dr. Cobb.

The nurse ran an EKG, of course, to see how my heart had responded to the medications and kept a blank face and cheery disposition as she exited the room.

I was left with about fifteen minutes to admire the picture directly across from me, to notice the change of focus to add a third dimension, to see that lone ant traipsing across the expanse of purple.

Had it climbed down the length of the flower, going over the edge in search of food, and now was on its return trip to the stem?

Just what was the ant's story?

That's when the doctor had entered, telling me the medications had not worked to regulate my heartbeat and I was right back into atrial fibrillation.

Damn.

The next step was surgery, a procedure called catheter ablation, in which I would be given a general anesthetic before a catheter was inserted into a vein in my leg.

That would allow him to burn out the misfiring electrode in my heart.

Hopefully, he added, I would be released from the hospital that very afternoon, after the surgical procedure at noon.

Wow.

I talked to him about my slow recovery from anesthesia, but he was mostly concerned about the atrial fibrillation I presently have.

Sure, I get that.

I'm concerned about that, too, especially, as I told him, since I've had the shortness of breath again for the last two weeks, at least.

Now, I'm scheduled for surgery on March 31st.

I miss Mama.

Just her company would be reassuring.

We wouldn't even need to talk, just be together, you know?

I miss Mama.