Image via: http://www.fatcap.com
Saturday, December 31, 2011
2011 Is Pfffft
The time is nigh for the calendar change. Are you ready? If you live in the U.S., be prepared for 2012 to be a year in politics unlike anything we have seen in decades - if at all. What we have witnessed in the past year in Congress will seem like like a bittersweet memory when the election momentum hits full throttle. So many bodies will be thrown under those "buses" that I suspect the coming year's soundtrack will be the whine of sirens from the rash of ambulances needed to collect the dead and injured.
Beyond politics, expect a few surprises on the celebrity divorce/break-up front. It's not that I'm psychic, nor is it unusual for high profile relationships to crash and burn. However, the "I CAN quit you" winds are blowing rather strong in Hollywood and Manhattan and elsewhere in the world, promising a few more blasts of headline-making fodder. What once seemed solid will prove to be made of liquid assets.
But, for now, let's enjoy the last few hours before the dung hits the whirling global fan. There will be many, many opportunities to utilize the Flogging Whip in the coming year. In preparation, I've given the whip a few days off to rest-up for the new scandals, dramas and traumas which will undoubtedly appear.
Have fun (or not) tonight. Laugh with your friends or cry in your beer. Whatever you choose, give a shout (or scream) for the New Year!
Cheers!
Friday, December 30, 2011
Eat, Drink (?) & Be Careful
As I plan the menu for my New Year's Eve celebration in the safety of mine abode (which is usually a preference for numerous reasons), I chanced upon the following article and was once more in delightful alignment with fellow Pisces Elizabeth Taylor. She knew how to do it right! I am thinking along the same lines - with one exception: no "grey babies" for me right now. My wallet just fell on the floor in tears for even thinking about it. Oh How Fabulously Decadent
The dearly departed legend and I have always shared a few things in common: a love of overindulgence; passionate, stormy romances; horrendous choices in same; one health problem after another; creating controversy without trying, and a strong love of food. (But I'm not a huge fan of jewelry, and I've met Eddie Fisher, and I doubt I would have ever gone there...even back then.) Nevertheless, this New Year's Eve will find me toasting to Miss Taylor's memory while I have a lovely taste-fest of some of my favourite foods. Yum!
I'll be back tomorrow, though I have no idea what I will write. Should you be gone and unable to check in, know that I greatly appreciate all of you who drop in on a daily basis and have made TDFB grow considerably in readership over a bit more than a year of its existence. Thank you for putting-up with my spelling and grammatical errors, too. And, of course, the sometimes subtle and, for a moment, not-so-subtle design change.
FYI for those who try to post under your Google accounts and find that your comments aren't "up" - all I can tell you is that Blogger has yet to provide a reason to me for this glitch. Yet I stay here because WordPress, although an excellent platform, doesn't accept the widgets I use on this site and another one I am building.
So, for now, I Blogger on.....
The dearly departed legend and I have always shared a few things in common: a love of overindulgence; passionate, stormy romances; horrendous choices in same; one health problem after another; creating controversy without trying, and a strong love of food. (But I'm not a huge fan of jewelry, and I've met Eddie Fisher, and I doubt I would have ever gone there...even back then.) Nevertheless, this New Year's Eve will find me toasting to Miss Taylor's memory while I have a lovely taste-fest of some of my favourite foods. Yum!
I'll be back tomorrow, though I have no idea what I will write. Should you be gone and unable to check in, know that I greatly appreciate all of you who drop in on a daily basis and have made TDFB grow considerably in readership over a bit more than a year of its existence. Thank you for putting-up with my spelling and grammatical errors, too. And, of course, the sometimes subtle and, for a moment, not-so-subtle design change.
FYI for those who try to post under your Google accounts and find that your comments aren't "up" - all I can tell you is that Blogger has yet to provide a reason to me for this glitch. Yet I stay here because WordPress, although an excellent platform, doesn't accept the widgets I use on this site and another one I am building.
So, for now, I Blogger on.....
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Television At A Glance
So here we are with a Real List of things TDFB can flog for the close-out sale of 2011. In addition, we'll pop in a few Good Things just to keep a balance going.
Today's focus is on TV shows: DRAMA
Biggest Disappointment: Dexter. OMG! Could this past season have been worse? According to Dexter message boards – yes – but I must disagree. I could not stand the sloppiness of our once-perfect serial killer. He made so many errors in Season 6 that had I not known the show had been renewed for two more seasons I would have expected a cancellation. It was painful as hell to watch Michael C. Hall and his now-divorced-ex Jennifer Carpenter have more scenes together than any other season. I swear they looked as if they just might kill each other with their glares (until "Deb" turns all googly-eyed in the last two episodes).
And, after all this time, why choose THIS season to bring about a near-lurve connection from Carpenter's character to her adopted brother? Can we spell AWKWARD any other way? Can we say "The weakest overall plot-line to date"? Can we also confirm that Dexter's writers took a creative vacation? Let's hope someone wakes up in time to save the show for next year. (Showtime)
Best New Drama: Homeland. Love-love-love. Well-written; well-acted by Claire Danes, Damian Lewis, and Mandy Patinkin. Suspense. Real emotional fragility in key characters. Nice twists and turns. Worth the cable bill. (Showtime)
Losing Steam: CSI (Original). Try as they have, no one can compare to William Peterson's Gil Grissom character. I miss his quirky focus on the gestation of Brazilian butterflies and other such oddities. Last season it was Laurence Fishburne taking over the key male role as the quasi-lead investigator. This season it's Ted Danson. Nice try, guys, but I like my forensics crisp, clean and eccentric. And BTW, what kind of marriage do Grissom and Jorja Fox's Sara Siddle have where she can spend entire seasons in Las Vegas while he is off chasing God-knows-what primates or bugs? It's been so long since Grissom was mentioned that most viewers forget where he is and what he's doing. (CBS)
Getting Better: The Good Wife. After a slow yet promising start, this series has become wonderfully complex within its simplicity. A contradiction, of course, yet that element is why I believe the writing, as well as the acting, has progressed. Formerly not a fan of Julianna Margulies, I am warming to her new expressions and her character's dilemmas. Perfectly cast, I hope the show will be around for a while. (CBS)
Stalemate: Criminal Minds. With the exception of character Spencer Reid 's constant hairstyle changes and the always gorgeous and buff Shemar Moore's Derek Morgan flirting with his "Baby Girl" geek over the phone, the series still has a bit of a bite, but something's gotta give in new plot-lines beyond letting Thomas Gibson's Aaron Hotchner finally smile for the first time - evah! (Or the absurd "death" and resurrection of Paget Brewster's Emily Prentiss.) Did someone fall asleep at the network? C'mon, writers. Get crackin'. (CBS)
Still Good: NCIS. Can't get enough of the cast. No one slaps the back of a head better than Mark Harmon. (CBS)
Boring: House. WTF? If it weren't for Hugh Laurie's fine acting, I wouldn't bother.... (Fox)
Always Good: Masterpiece Theatre. How can anyone dislike the consistent excellence of every series? The writing, cinematography, acting? Not me. (PBS)
Hmmm. Did NBC or ABC have anything going on? Not in the "Drama" category - from my point of view. (Though I tried to like Prime Suspect = Meh.)
HBO had Boardwalk Empire - which has been touted as one of the major Emmy contenders. I love the way it looks. The acting is great. I just couldn't get on board. Same with Game of Thrones. When it comes to period pieces, I still love The Tudors. Too bad it's now in rerun-censored hell.
Chow - for now!
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Who Deserves A Flog Today?
I deserve a flog today for posting the below video as one of the better tunes of 2011! You have no idea how much it pained me to do so. But, considering that I'm focusing only on mainstream music, I could barely find anything I liked this year to add to the continuing list I have been compiling this week. It's not that the tune is terrible. It simply is okay. If nothing else, you can dance to it around the house if you're bored. I'll do my best to pull something less predictable for tomorrow. If not, I may have to go back to 2010 music. Yes, in my opinion, 2011 was the least exciting year in Pop and Hip-Hop.
The Year the Earth Could Kill
It's that time of year when Bloggers and popular websites take us for a jaunty and/or somber ride down the oft-rubbled lane of the year that is on the verge of becoming obsolete. Lists are made, and most of them are filled with the same details. Rather than be too terribly redundant, as I'm certain most of you read many of the same websites wherein I find my fodder for the day, I'll simply glide through a few of the Top Stories of the Year in my own perfunctory way:
World Politics:
It's really quite simple. Bad guys (dictators) were thrown to the curb or killed or, as with Syria's President al-Assad, holding-on by a thread of silk or linen; something like that. Revolutions by disenfranchised masses made most of these events possible – with a little help from their friends – either behind-the-scenes or in the bright glare of drone attacks from the sky. Bottom line: For many, it was Bye-Bye! Period.
World Disasters:
Mother Nature was quite pissed this year. Just ask Japan.
American Politics:
The general consensus is that Congress is a mess. Obama let everyone down. The crazies are running the country. We are doomed.
Celebrity Gossip:
Lotsa talk about nothing, really. Do you honestly care that Tom Cruise has shape-shifted into a 13-year-old boy with his new face, cute little button-down checkered shirts and double-breasted grade-school boy-jacket? Gotta love his stylist, though. Clever-clever. And Lindsay? Kim Kar-Kash-In? Fabulous snark fodder. Nothing more, nothing less.
Global Warming:
Brrr. It's cold out there! Wow! It's really hot today! Say what?
World Economy:
Hey Bro', can you spare a dime? No? Why not? You work on Wall Street or something?
Sex Scandals:
Menz of Power Unite! Most were able to keep their wives and turn out the media lights. Wonder what would have happened had the gender been reversed?
The Departed:
No jokes allowed. (And I don't mean the film of the same name.)
Social Media:
Facebook became a hacker's dream. Twitter remains a public tit-for-tat. Just ask LeAnn Rimes and the whiny ex of Eddie Cibrian, Brandi-What's-Her-Name. It's back to high school we go.
The Interwebs:
Full of more and more little places like this to while away the time.
That's it for today. More to come….
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Lost In Damnation
Before I begin the requisite end-of-the-year posts concerning others, I'll take one last limp down a reflective path:
2011, for me, was a lost year. It began on a fairly decent note, but by June the ill wind of sickness and weird accidents made the last 6 months a blur of sorts, as well as another test of my patience; my sense of humour, and the ability to go forth once more under the surgeon's knife (and frightening-looking tools) for repairing broken bones.
In June-ish, I came down with the annual Bronchitis visit. But this time the dastardly dis-ease brought with it something new: a complete lack of energy unlike anything I have ever experienced. My legs felt like two heavy weights I had to drag around until – after tests came up with nothing – the Vampire-sucking the life out of me sensation miraculously vanished when I was hit with the next surprise!
A little gift from Mother Nature's pantry of horrid poisons brought yet another new experience I am amazed hadn't happened to me before this year. Have you heard of Chiggers? You know, those little insects that are a cross between a very tiny and not-very-nice spider and a mischievous mite. (The pretty vision in the above picture.)
When these little suckers-biters found my allergic-to-all-insect-bites skin, they jumped for joy and had a complete picnic all over my body. I'm surprised I didn't hear them singing with glee when they attached themselves inside my jeans during a quiet stroll in a once-thriving home vineyard, now withered dry vines and high, lifeless grass and weeds. By the time I realized I had a flurry of unwanted guests in my pants, it was way too late.
For the next month I was in the most agonizing itch-fest mingled with horrid-looking big red bumps that hurt like hell. I applied copious amounts of anti-itch creams; cortisone-based balms; Neosporin – you name it, I tried it. There were 25 bites moving from my hips down to my feet. If one scratched the 24-hour ferocious itch-spots, scarring and infection were promised by all the info I read about these odd creatures that found me so delightful to feast upon.
I cannot describe the side effects of these bites. Should you wonder if I'm falling into another Drama Queen act, I will assure you that I'm not overplaying the discomfort. Imagine a burning itch in 25 locations on your body that most medications could not curb…and no doctors could do more than provide more creams that did very little to stop the urge to literally jump out of one's skin.
I had never heard of Chiggers until this year, which is strange, as I've discovered that they are all over the area in which I was raised. While a very young kid all the way up to 19, I spent more time in the woods and in trees than in my room, so I have no idea how I managed to avoid being bitten by these rapacious critters. If you'd like a true gross-out, just Google "Side Effects and Images of Chigger Bites" and you'll know what I mean.
But, alas, the itching began to cease, although I now have a few scars that will be with me for the remainder of my life although I didn't scratch the itch, nor did an infection set in. The bites were Just. That. Bad.
A few weeks passed - pain and itch-free - before I awoke a few days prior to Labor Day with a very, very old Sciatica injury in full inflammation…which led to a fractured hip, a life-threatening blood clot, surgery, and now something suspicious lurking around my wrist from excessive stress from crutching around for two months. Results from a recent MRI are forthcoming.
And so it continues…for now. The best thing I can say about the past 6 months is that I haven't been a wuss in the face of lotsa crap this year. For that, I am grateful. I'd rather laugh about some of it, make light in a post, or, as I did with the hip situation, scream from the depths of my soul over the excruciating pain I had been experiencing.
Although I do share personal stories on this blog, I never expected to cry "Uncle" as I did…but, due to many private emails and a general sense of feeling supported throughout the hip replacement, I'm glad to have had more than a private journal in which to vent my feelings.
Thanks to all of you for dropping by over the months and for your either public or private messages here and on FB. I'm happy to make you happy, or to think, or to share when it's time to take a drink and close out the nonsense of what 2011 brought in the way of crazies.
Let's hope 2012 will be a healthier year for this blogger. If not, I may have to turn The Daily Flog Blog into a How to Handle Living Life In A Doctor's Office…or something as banal as that heading.
Image: A Chigger. Yikes!
2011, for me, was a lost year. It began on a fairly decent note, but by June the ill wind of sickness and weird accidents made the last 6 months a blur of sorts, as well as another test of my patience; my sense of humour, and the ability to go forth once more under the surgeon's knife (and frightening-looking tools) for repairing broken bones.
In June-ish, I came down with the annual Bronchitis visit. But this time the dastardly dis-ease brought with it something new: a complete lack of energy unlike anything I have ever experienced. My legs felt like two heavy weights I had to drag around until – after tests came up with nothing – the Vampire-sucking the life out of me sensation miraculously vanished when I was hit with the next surprise!
A little gift from Mother Nature's pantry of horrid poisons brought yet another new experience I am amazed hadn't happened to me before this year. Have you heard of Chiggers? You know, those little insects that are a cross between a very tiny and not-very-nice spider and a mischievous mite. (The pretty vision in the above picture.)
When these little suckers-biters found my allergic-to-all-insect-bites skin, they jumped for joy and had a complete picnic all over my body. I'm surprised I didn't hear them singing with glee when they attached themselves inside my jeans during a quiet stroll in a once-thriving home vineyard, now withered dry vines and high, lifeless grass and weeds. By the time I realized I had a flurry of unwanted guests in my pants, it was way too late.
For the next month I was in the most agonizing itch-fest mingled with horrid-looking big red bumps that hurt like hell. I applied copious amounts of anti-itch creams; cortisone-based balms; Neosporin – you name it, I tried it. There were 25 bites moving from my hips down to my feet. If one scratched the 24-hour ferocious itch-spots, scarring and infection were promised by all the info I read about these odd creatures that found me so delightful to feast upon.
I cannot describe the side effects of these bites. Should you wonder if I'm falling into another Drama Queen act, I will assure you that I'm not overplaying the discomfort. Imagine a burning itch in 25 locations on your body that most medications could not curb…and no doctors could do more than provide more creams that did very little to stop the urge to literally jump out of one's skin.
I had never heard of Chiggers until this year, which is strange, as I've discovered that they are all over the area in which I was raised. While a very young kid all the way up to 19, I spent more time in the woods and in trees than in my room, so I have no idea how I managed to avoid being bitten by these rapacious critters. If you'd like a true gross-out, just Google "Side Effects and Images of Chigger Bites" and you'll know what I mean.
But, alas, the itching began to cease, although I now have a few scars that will be with me for the remainder of my life although I didn't scratch the itch, nor did an infection set in. The bites were Just. That. Bad.
A few weeks passed - pain and itch-free - before I awoke a few days prior to Labor Day with a very, very old Sciatica injury in full inflammation…which led to a fractured hip, a life-threatening blood clot, surgery, and now something suspicious lurking around my wrist from excessive stress from crutching around for two months. Results from a recent MRI are forthcoming.
And so it continues…for now. The best thing I can say about the past 6 months is that I haven't been a wuss in the face of lotsa crap this year. For that, I am grateful. I'd rather laugh about some of it, make light in a post, or, as I did with the hip situation, scream from the depths of my soul over the excruciating pain I had been experiencing.
Although I do share personal stories on this blog, I never expected to cry "Uncle" as I did…but, due to many private emails and a general sense of feeling supported throughout the hip replacement, I'm glad to have had more than a private journal in which to vent my feelings.
Thanks to all of you for dropping by over the months and for your either public or private messages here and on FB. I'm happy to make you happy, or to think, or to share when it's time to take a drink and close out the nonsense of what 2011 brought in the way of crazies.
Let's hope 2012 will be a healthier year for this blogger. If not, I may have to turn The Daily Flog Blog into a How to Handle Living Life In A Doctor's Office…or something as banal as that heading.
Image: A Chigger. Yikes!
Monday, December 26, 2011
Post-Christmas Ennui
Tis the day after Christmas and all I can do is try to think of what to write that is new.
The news sites are full of holiday deaths and how much money everyone spent.
In gossip it's just more of the same - a group of celebrities acting insane.
And so I will leave this as it now is - a simple post-Christmas-post full of fluffy fizz.
Wow! Wasn't that profound?
Now onward to play another piece of music from 2011. I'll be honest in telling you all how bland I believe mainstream music has been this year. Most of what has been inspiring lauds from another time.
The news sites are full of holiday deaths and how much money everyone spent.
In gossip it's just more of the same - a group of celebrities acting insane.
And so I will leave this as it now is - a simple post-Christmas-post full of fluffy fizz.
Wow! Wasn't that profound?
Now onward to play another piece of music from 2011. I'll be honest in telling you all how bland I believe mainstream music has been this year. Most of what has been inspiring lauds from another time.
However, there were a few that stood out......
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Ground Control To Santa's Pause
Okay, kids. Santa's on his way, though running late in a few heavy-weather spots. Tech reception can be sketchy. In addition, he's taking a break listening to a tune I'm planning to post in a few minutes.
And, to further complicate things, he's still having trouble with his GPS. You know how that goes when you've caved to modern technology and dumped your trusty reindeer for an SUV (a hybrid, of course).
If you've already opened your presents, or if you had no gifts to open at all, I'm totally - 100% - in the mood to begin a completely non-rated-by-number list of my fav tunes of 2011 by beginning the above post. While you ponder the arrival of St. Nick-ey-poo (did I actually write that?), or plot vengeance on those who didn't provide a proper gift-giving-under-the-piney-tree, you can have the wicked pleasure of listening to the above music video unless you're in a different music mood.
This is the beginning of a Holiday-Land of my fav tunes from 2011. Remember. 2011. Not of ALL TIME. Who could ever pin that one down?
The tunes you'll see and hear throughout the week will be an amalgamation of 2011 in its most commercially toned-down form. If I were to go into music beyond the norm, we'd be listing until the end of the year. Thus and so, I'm spinning what I deem to be a fairly mainstream, yet not based on Chart Numbers foray into what the year has provided in terms of general-appeal-to-a-degree-inspiration.
So, let's get going....
And, to further complicate things, he's still having trouble with his GPS. You know how that goes when you've caved to modern technology and dumped your trusty reindeer for an SUV (a hybrid, of course).
If you've already opened your presents, or if you had no gifts to open at all, I'm totally - 100% - in the mood to begin a completely non-rated-by-number list of my fav tunes of 2011 by beginning the above post. While you ponder the arrival of St. Nick-ey-poo (did I actually write that?), or plot vengeance on those who didn't provide a proper gift-giving-under-the-piney-tree, you can have the wicked pleasure of listening to the above music video unless you're in a different music mood.
This is the beginning of a Holiday-Land of my fav tunes from 2011. Remember. 2011. Not of ALL TIME. Who could ever pin that one down?
The tunes you'll see and hear throughout the week will be an amalgamation of 2011 in its most commercially toned-down form. If I were to go into music beyond the norm, we'd be listing until the end of the year. Thus and so, I'm spinning what I deem to be a fairly mainstream, yet not based on Chart Numbers foray into what the year has provided in terms of general-appeal-to-a-degree-inspiration.
So, let's get going....
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Tis the Season to Escape
Hello there. I'm in a Holiday Saturday Trance. While I while away a few hours at the top of the day, a film marathon of classic B/W films which go well beyond the classic Holiday Standards of "Holiday Inn" and "It's A Wonderful Life" are turning-up all over the cable channels - Premium and Not-So Preemie.
However, it's alarmingly clear how times have changed. Thus, I shall (imagine a lilting tone behind what I write) make a mere observation on what the TV-based Movies at this time of year often convey and portray:
Ultimate perfection is a fantastically exuberant chorus of excellent tenors and sopranos battling it out with the bass-tones to gel into a magnificent cacophony of ear-dazzling delight.
Thus far today, I've been drawn into a little-known yet charming unique old-film-world where Robert Mitchum and Janet Leigh share googly-eyes at each other in a surprisingly holds-up-in-the-test-of-time-sorta, film (minus the now-jaundiced heavily-critiqued relationships between a mother/and/or siblings in what was once viewed as wholesomely innocent actions of platonic love and connection).
The film is "Holiday Affair" - not grand, not bland. A lovely afternoon delight if you're not having sex.
With that said...as well as "...At the end of the day", including "...Having said that", I'll now end this pointless post with a cheery Happy Christmas Eve and 5th Night of Hanukkah!
Whew! I needs better movies and the party I'm going to tonight!
However, it's alarmingly clear how times have changed. Thus, I shall (imagine a lilting tone behind what I write) make a mere observation on what the TV-based Movies at this time of year often convey and portray:
Ultimate perfection is a fantastically exuberant chorus of excellent tenors and sopranos battling it out with the bass-tones to gel into a magnificent cacophony of ear-dazzling delight.
Thus far today, I've been drawn into a little-known yet charming unique old-film-world where Robert Mitchum and Janet Leigh share googly-eyes at each other in a surprisingly holds-up-in-the-test-of-time-sorta, film (minus the now-jaundiced heavily-critiqued relationships between a mother/and/or siblings in what was once viewed as wholesomely innocent actions of platonic love and connection).
The film is "Holiday Affair" - not grand, not bland. A lovely afternoon delight if you're not having sex.
With that said...as well as "...At the end of the day", including "...Having said that", I'll now end this pointless post with a cheery Happy Christmas Eve and 5th Night of Hanukkah!
Whew! I needs better movies and the party I'm going to tonight!
Friday, December 23, 2011
Home for the Holidays
Today, the Flogging Whip slipped out of its not-so-guilded cage in my abode this morning with the intention to smack those treasonous House GOPer's in the arse. The focus was to be on how ridiculous they have been this year with the use of several lines from films to motivate their peeps in their desire to ruin America as we know it.
I was on the verge of spending time with the Whip this morning to write about all of the above until I saw, and then read, Jason Linkins' article in The Huffington Post!
Drat! Linkins and others beat me to it! In fact, the entire article contains almost everything I was planning to say/write. So, it is with humble intent that I will share his observations with you, as they are excellent. After that, I'll try to find another subject to include in this post. Films As Inspiration For Bringing Down America
Hmmmm.
What to write that others have not? It's the Friday before Christmas; it's the 4th day of Hanukkah, and one might expect me to write about the season now that hoards of people all over the world are getting out of town ASAP for their holiday vacation; be it just a few days off or a full week and a few days to be with friends or family or a ski slope or a beautiful white beach near a turquoise ocean in a sultry tropical wonderland.
In Los Angeles, this time of year is actually the best time to stay home as half of the sprawling LA city-dwellers are out of town; the roads are less congested, and once-noisy neighborhoods are quiet. So, unlike previous years, I am staying home.
Each Christmas for quite some time I have spent the Christmas holiday with my mother in another city, or in a snow-covered mountain resort for the true feeling of the season and a bit of cross-country skiing. It's usually a pleasant break to get away for 3-4 days at the minimum. as well as to make my mother happy to see her only child when we get together.
But this year, with a physical recovery still in progress on my end (making travel a wee bit challenging), we decided to go our separate ways, having spent a rather horrendous Thanksgiving together watching a real life version of "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" unfold before our eyes.
We're kinda burned-out from that day - still.
It's fine for both of us to take a break. Due to my absence, she will be helping a lonely friend get through the day with an excellent dinner and a few games of Bridge. And I will be able to do whatever I choose to do in a spontaneous spirit. Plans are already in place to have a sprightly Sunday evening with friends, among other options before and after.
Otherwise, had my mother and I not made the last-minute decision, I would be at the train station this very minute squeezed into a mucking-about pack of disparate commuters on a seat-less concrete platform waiting for our train to arrive. How nice to have a "normal" day for a change at this time of year!
I love not feeling rushed, obligated, pressured. To me, that is what a true "Holiday" looks and feels like. I've come to the belief that constantly trying to please others, as well as following traditions like lemmings following each other over a cliff, makes many holidays a chore - an unpleasant, forced experience of mirth. What matters most is enjoying your time with others or your vacation, isn't it?
In a time of giving, it may be that giving our loved ones space, and providing the same for ourselves, is the greatest gift of all.
I was on the verge of spending time with the Whip this morning to write about all of the above until I saw, and then read, Jason Linkins' article in The Huffington Post!
Drat! Linkins and others beat me to it! In fact, the entire article contains almost everything I was planning to say/write. So, it is with humble intent that I will share his observations with you, as they are excellent. After that, I'll try to find another subject to include in this post. Films As Inspiration For Bringing Down America
Hmmmm.
What to write that others have not? It's the Friday before Christmas; it's the 4th day of Hanukkah, and one might expect me to write about the season now that hoards of people all over the world are getting out of town ASAP for their holiday vacation; be it just a few days off or a full week and a few days to be with friends or family or a ski slope or a beautiful white beach near a turquoise ocean in a sultry tropical wonderland.
In Los Angeles, this time of year is actually the best time to stay home as half of the sprawling LA city-dwellers are out of town; the roads are less congested, and once-noisy neighborhoods are quiet. So, unlike previous years, I am staying home.
Each Christmas for quite some time I have spent the Christmas holiday with my mother in another city, or in a snow-covered mountain resort for the true feeling of the season and a bit of cross-country skiing. It's usually a pleasant break to get away for 3-4 days at the minimum. as well as to make my mother happy to see her only child when we get together.
But this year, with a physical recovery still in progress on my end (making travel a wee bit challenging), we decided to go our separate ways, having spent a rather horrendous Thanksgiving together watching a real life version of "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" unfold before our eyes.
We're kinda burned-out from that day - still.
It's fine for both of us to take a break. Due to my absence, she will be helping a lonely friend get through the day with an excellent dinner and a few games of Bridge. And I will be able to do whatever I choose to do in a spontaneous spirit. Plans are already in place to have a sprightly Sunday evening with friends, among other options before and after.
Otherwise, had my mother and I not made the last-minute decision, I would be at the train station this very minute squeezed into a mucking-about pack of disparate commuters on a seat-less concrete platform waiting for our train to arrive. How nice to have a "normal" day for a change at this time of year!
I love not feeling rushed, obligated, pressured. To me, that is what a true "Holiday" looks and feels like. I've come to the belief that constantly trying to please others, as well as following traditions like lemmings following each other over a cliff, makes many holidays a chore - an unpleasant, forced experience of mirth. What matters most is enjoying your time with others or your vacation, isn't it?
In a time of giving, it may be that giving our loved ones space, and providing the same for ourselves, is the greatest gift of all.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Making the Rounds
Good day/afternoon/evening. The following is today's look at a variety of stories/articles you may find interesting. As per usual, we go from gossip to politics to UFO's.
Enjoy!
Oh sure, this was just for fun? Rihanna Is Hit Below The Schmelt
You know it's really bad news when Karl Rove isn't on your side: Bad News Glares
What's up with this fat cat's arse? Look In The Mirror, Fool
Has she seen Reagan and Bush's cards? Petty Is As Petty Does
This is what happens when you marry a Kar-Kash-In: Boo Hiss
How about a little trash? First, What's Up With His Face?
Whoa! And we thought burning witches was cruel! Is It Really 2011?
Interesting glimpse at U.S. poverty: It Ain't Pretty But It's True
It's UFO time again: Stonehenge And Friends
Will be back tomorrow with the ole' Flogging Whip!
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Street Art of the Day
Artist - nohJColey
Location - Brooklyn
Materials - Paint, Wires and Such
Image and more info @: http://www.lostateminor.com
To Be Or Not 2 B
I include myself in this group although I do proof the work of others but don't notice my own errors in grammar and spelling, as well as missing words because, well, it's my own writing and I don't see the mistakes until at least a 4th read. Before then I have usually published the post. An hour or less later, I'll re-read what I've written and gasp at the mess I've made of a sentence.
When one writes on a daily basis and attempts to meet a deadline it's way too easy to hit "Submit" thinking all is well. Hah!
Many writers are in a "quick-write" on the Interwebs habit and, unless there is time to re-visit the work, the mistakes stand out.
I'm bringing this issue into general awareness because I've noticed a consistent omission of one particular word on not only many top-rated news websites, but also in the manuscripts I edit. The word "to" is becoming a lost word in modern writing.
Does it mean anything that "to" is overlooked? From a writers point of view - yes. To a reader? Maybe. Maybe not.
So, where is the Flog in all of this you may ask? Haste. No proofreader. The continuing deterioration of the English language in light of texting language shortcuts and a culturally approved allowance of the mangling of the English language to accommodate the character number restrictions on places like Twitter, are part of the "problem."
I love intelligent writing. Where are our Edith Wharton's and Henry James's? I can't imagine what Proust would be doing in this age and time. Or how Hemingway would view the abysmal lack of not only literary imagination, but the going-to-seed-fast of the beauty of words and visuals the great writers have given to us over the years.
The following is the classic opening sentence from A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens:
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way - in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.
Imagine this revision in today's choppity-chop writing world for the masses:
It was really a cool time. Kind of bad 2. Some were smart and others stupid. LOL! No one cares. LMAO. Good 'n bad stuff going on. R U with me? Shit. We R going to hell.
Perhaps those of us who write every day need to do better.
2 B continued.....
Monday, December 19, 2011
Too Sweet For A Gringe Like Me
Oy friggin' vey! I have a hangover. But not from alcohol. Too many Christmas cookies = lotsa sugar/sweets = a Monday morning need for Tylenol. I think I'll have more drinks in the future and leave the dessert trays alone this season.
Meanwhile, a little note to North Korea! Now that Little Kim's soul is floating like one of the South Korean missiles into space, maybe you guys can finally have a party with the leftover Hennessy he always spent a small fortune procuring every year (a reported $700,000). I don't think the Bigger Kim will notice for at least a few days. He has already said he doesn't think he's sane enough to lead your country.
Now that's really saying something, eh? As if his father even knew what the word "sane" meant.
Good luck!
Sunday, December 18, 2011
When the Troops Go Marching Home
A war that should never have been fought is now officially over.
Despite the questionable motives of many governments to bomb and pillage Iraq, the troops are to be commended and welcomed home with great appreciation; not negation of their emotional, financial and physical needs as we owe them not only respect, but all the help we can give in support.
It is a sad truth that many vet's become homeless, as well as ignored in their plight to handle Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. If you know anyone who has been battling the adjustment to non-combat thinking and living, make sure to give compassion - at the very least.
Welcome Back, Troops!
The above posts contain several tunes in your honour - one way or another.
Image via: Getty/Chris Honchos
Despite the questionable motives of many governments to bomb and pillage Iraq, the troops are to be commended and welcomed home with great appreciation; not negation of their emotional, financial and physical needs as we owe them not only respect, but all the help we can give in support.
It is a sad truth that many vet's become homeless, as well as ignored in their plight to handle Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. If you know anyone who has been battling the adjustment to non-combat thinking and living, make sure to give compassion - at the very least.
Welcome Back, Troops!
The above posts contain several tunes in your honour - one way or another.
Image via: Getty/Chris Honchos
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Thin Tizzy
On this partly cloudy weekend morning I continued to follow a fairly regular routine of reading approximately 10 websites for a variety of news and information. The recurring theme on several sites are pictures of well-known women and girls who look like emaciated victims of drought and disease.
This picture is a sad example of a young 18 year-old who just happens to be in the quasi-spotlight and looks deathly. It is Ali Lohan, Lindsay's little sis, from the other day. Shouldn't she be in a hospital somewhere getting a blood transfusion or something? Yikes!
I realize that this time period isn't the first to encourage girls and women to be as thin as one could be, but as I read the comments on many of the sites, and pay attention to my own gut reaction to seeing bodies devoid of muscle tone, skeletal frames which make heads look like Bobble-Heads, I do ask why our culture continues to psychologically dictate to the female sex how they should look in order to be accepted? Being thin in a healthy way is fine. It's true that high fashion often looks best on a thin frame, but the trend is way out of control.
Are these women on drugs? Anorexic? Bulimic? Crazy? Who is letting them deceive themselves into believing they look good or healthy? Why are only a few celebs, for example, called-out by the larger media who/that cover(s) them. while others who are deteriorating before our eyes are given a pass?
Sure, there are deals made to quiet the wagging tabs…but still…these women and girls are role models. Is it really so cool to look as if you have one foot in the grave while refusing to eat? I don't think so. The worst offenders are called-out on little-known blogs and websites, but often the red flag is first waved in the Tabloids – always a questionable source, of course; however, pictures don't lie.
It's time to bring back the voluptuous image of sexy, healthy women in celebrity-land. Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell wouldn't make it in the current climate. And that's Just Wrong!
Right?
Image via: Flynet
This picture is a sad example of a young 18 year-old who just happens to be in the quasi-spotlight and looks deathly. It is Ali Lohan, Lindsay's little sis, from the other day. Shouldn't she be in a hospital somewhere getting a blood transfusion or something? Yikes!
I realize that this time period isn't the first to encourage girls and women to be as thin as one could be, but as I read the comments on many of the sites, and pay attention to my own gut reaction to seeing bodies devoid of muscle tone, skeletal frames which make heads look like Bobble-Heads, I do ask why our culture continues to psychologically dictate to the female sex how they should look in order to be accepted? Being thin in a healthy way is fine. It's true that high fashion often looks best on a thin frame, but the trend is way out of control.
Are these women on drugs? Anorexic? Bulimic? Crazy? Who is letting them deceive themselves into believing they look good or healthy? Why are only a few celebs, for example, called-out by the larger media who/that cover(s) them. while others who are deteriorating before our eyes are given a pass?
Sure, there are deals made to quiet the wagging tabs…but still…these women and girls are role models. Is it really so cool to look as if you have one foot in the grave while refusing to eat? I don't think so. The worst offenders are called-out on little-known blogs and websites, but often the red flag is first waved in the Tabloids – always a questionable source, of course; however, pictures don't lie.
It's time to bring back the voluptuous image of sexy, healthy women in celebrity-land. Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell wouldn't make it in the current climate. And that's Just Wrong!
Right?
Image via: Flynet
Friday, December 16, 2011
Who Deserves A Flog Today?
What else could it be today other than another Flog at the U.S. Congress? "Indefinite military detention." I linked to this story a few days ago when it seemed as though Obama would veto the bill. But, Obama allowed the bill to pass. If the GOP contenders weren't so radical, and if another Democrat could stand up to the Prez, I'd want him out as much as I want most of the House and Senate tossed-out of their stuffy chambers STAT. But we have to wait a year. And despite his often in-your-face attitude toward his base, I'll still go with Obama because, if nothing else, he doesn't cause me to feel embarrassed for our country. In fact, I admire how he can be more of a Hawk than many initially thought, while at the same time regaining respect for the US of A in countries where the love was seriously fading. I am one of those who agreed that the U.S. needed to apologize to most of the world for the egregious antics of the previous administration. I know it's not a popular position for the Right, but from my POV it would have been Wrong not to do so.
Read it here: WTF - Again
Read it here: WTF - Again
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Tidbits
Censorship in the news biz has been in play from the very beginning when the owner's of newspapers - large and small - for every possible reason one can imagine, chose what words could and could not be used, and subjects never to be raised which went against the Powers-That-Be's beliefs.
Of course, along with censorship is the strong smell of the papers' agenda to sway public opinion in a certain political or cultural direction, among other uses for local issues that would benefit both the paper's owners as well as their money men. (See articles that can be found all over the Web for a fascinating history of the The Los Angeles Times' Chandler family's heavy support for automobiles in Los Angeles vs. existing train lines that were eventually dismantled - and who benefited.)
Now we have another, albeit not new, form of censorship to ponder. Although its source is not a grand surprise, it is a perfect example of what happens when power plays THEIR way - and stoops to the lowest-of-the-low in order to win power at all costs. The following is also an example of what happens when Freedom of the Press does not exist: Russia's Suppression-Oppression
A few other non-related tidbits for the day:
Do you think the Golden Globes are "bought"? A Bribe A Minute
What now in Washington DC? Get The Eff Out!
This is as pathetic a defense as one can imagine: Gonna Wash That Man Right Out Of His Lair
The blow-by-blow of all kinds of Low-Hand's Demise: Ouch!
That will do it for now...
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Running Late
No words today. Running around to see doctors. Next on the list - an MRI next week for a wrist that was damaged via crutches during my crutching days that has not healed. Drat.
Be back later....
Be back later....
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Who Deserves A Flog Today?
The U.S. Founding Fathers MUST be rolling in their graves lately as the freedoms they designed for the country have quickly begun to erode. The Patriot Act was bad enough with regard to individual freedom(s) in this country. Now we have yet another government-backed threat - this time to one's own personal physical freedom. The particular issue at hand involves anyone in the U.S. who is deemed to be a terrorist or to have ties to terrorist organizations. Check out this outrage: You Have No Rights
Monday, December 12, 2011
Hawaii Ten-Oh-No
What do Lindsay Lohan and Mitt Romney have in common? The $10,000 number following both of them in the headlines today. Mitt for a lug-headed bet with Rick Perry (Read Here), and Lindsay for, well, see below.
How can I ignore the latest Low-Hand debacle despite my recent post of empathy for this seemingly "lost" creature? I can't. Or won't. Or something.
Oh, the decadent, carefree lives of the not-so-rich-but-oddly-famous among us. Have you heard that Missy Low-Hand was traipsing around Hawaii over the weekend during a break in her court-appointed Community Service duties at the Los Angeles County Morgue? And that, somewhere along the way, she was clear-headed enough within her "sobriety" to leave her expensive Chanel purse, containing, among other items, her passport and a fascinating roll of $10,000 cash, within the car in which she rode to yet another party where she could carry on with her ultra-charming social ways.
Oh the horror when she discovered the purse and its contents were missing! This is the second time that Low-Hand has been far away from Los Angeles and had her passport go missing - within days before she was/is to appear in front of a judge for her "check up" - as it were.
But, alas, the mystery theft has a slightly happy ending. The purse was "returned/found" containing, among who-knows-what-else, what we can assume is her passport and the lip filler injection needles she must carry with her at all times, but NOT the $10,000 cash! Wow! What a surprise! The MONEY IS MISSING!
I don't know about you - male or female - but all of us have probably left important items in cars or elsewhere at some point during our lives only to discover the missing purse/wallet/other items(s) shocker when they were long gone...or, if the casing was still left behind, you can be sure whatever cash or credit cards you carried were nowhere to be found. Unless, of course, a Good Samaritan found your stuff.
C'mon, Low-Hand! No one expects you to be "all there" anymore, but who are you hanging with? Don't you have someone other than your equally "out there" Mama-Manager-Bad-Influence-Dina to watch over you? No more "assistants" traveling with you? No "handlers" to ensure you stay out of trouble? No? That would cost too much? Hmmm. Well, maybe you do have some help and they felt they were owed "back pay" and decided to help themselves to what you foolishly left behind in your eagerness to
I know it's hard to be an air-head. I had a few years in my 20's when I was an air-head, too. I left a wallet on the top of a car I drove off into the blue yonder...with its contents landing all over the highway behind me, sprinkling all of the papers and money tucked within. Lucky for me it was within a few yards of my home and everything was retrieved. But I wasn't thrilled by the lapse in awareness.
During a quick stopover at a grocery market within the first year of living in LA, I left a rather large purse on the floor of my car, taking only my wallet with me. I didn't lock the car. It was 1973. I still believed most people were honest. Hahahahaha! Upon return, the purse was gone, of course. I was so puzzled. Such a thing had not happened to me until then. I was especially upset as the large purse held technical equipment for broadcasting.
But then, I'm a mere mortal. If I were to have a $$$ Chanel bag I would take it with me wherever I went. Beyond the purse, if I had $10,000 effing dollars in it the thought would def cross my mind to remember that part of its contents no matter how "sober" I may be. Ahem.
Dear Lindsay. Unless you set this up for various reasons unknown to the normal functioning brain, it might be a good idea to attach your head to your body before you attempt to go out in "not-so-polite company" in the future.
And I hope you'll be able to show up to your court appearance on Wednesday in Los Angeles. One more flake-out and the judge just might make you do 50 successive Jumping Jacks before sending you back out into the wild.
Haven't read the story? The Curious Case of Lindsay's Loss
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Pretty and Simple
See you then.
Image via: whitegadget.com
Saturday, December 10, 2011
More This and That's
Whoa. A potentially awful turn of events for the Internet: What The....?
Herman may have been foolish, but compared to Newt? Double (Lack Of) Standards
Oh, that squirrely little prankster! Ring That Bell (See above post for continuity.)
Some people really, really love a light show for Christmas: May Their Nights Be Bright
I don't watch the show, but... Somebody Pleeeeze Cancel This Mess
Something to think about other than the holidays: Out Of This World
If you doubt government and other conspiracies - think again: From The Archives
Have a great Saturday.
Image via: sacredart-murals.co.uk
Friday, December 9, 2011
Who Deserves A Flog Today?
Who else but Ann Coulter? Why? Why not? The Flogging Whip would be in overdrive for every time this jaded, faux-just-about-anything insipid excuse for a human being opens what is known as her mouth. The latest? Here We Go
Thursday, December 8, 2011
It's the Simple Things - Really!
There is too much negativity in the air today - another deadly shooting at a U.S. college; Congress continuing to act like spoiled children; the anniversary of John Lennon's assassination, that I have decided to un-Flog today and, instead, share a little bit of positive news, albeit my own.
For the first time in 3 months - ever since my hip thingy began - I was able to take a shower unassisted by a nurse today. Wow! I know. Some of you may laugh or smirk, "So what?"
I'll tell you "what." It's always the things we don't think about that become important when ill or held back by an injury. Not being able to take a bath or shower without help is just one of the many things that affect our sense of independence.
After relying on others for months to help me with the simplest tasks, it is a landmark to finally 1) Walk again without crutches or a cane (though I still have a way to go with total recovery). 2) Be able to lift a full teapot of water and take it to the stove. 3) Carry my very own tea cup into my work space and not have to wait for someone else to make it, then bring it, to me. 4) Have a long shower without rushing - in private.
I could go on with a list of what I couldn't do on my own, but I believe you get the idea.
It's great to be FREE!
That's it. Just a nice message to share.
In addition, to honour John Lennon, the music videos today will focus on a few of his tunes.
Enjoy!
Image Via: bathroomexpress.co.uk
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Merry - (fill-in-the-blank)
Checking my Facebook "News Feed" this morning reminded me that the belief that our society has declared "War On Christmas" is alive and, in some eyes, not "well." It began a few years ago when the word "Holiday" popped-up on cards, in advertisements, and in talk, to replace "Christmas" in a variety of ways that have offended a vast percentage of Christians and basic traditionalists.
A post that is circulating on FB makes it very clear that people are going to "Christmas" parties; putting up a "Christmas" tree; buying "Christmas" presents, and so on. The inference, of course, is a rejection of the use of the generic "Holiday."
It's understandable that those who prefer tradition for either religious or cultural reasons dislike the changes that have been going on in semantics, as well as attitude, surrounding the year's most hyped holiday. And, that is what it has become over the years: a hyped buying spree. But, for those who celebrate more than the material side of what is supposed to be the birth date of Jesus, the very idea that people are replacing "Christmas" with "Holiday" can be the final straw on a deepening cultural divide within the US - in particular.
Change is often unsettling. Many of us grew up with "Christmas" as our only awareness of what this time of the year is all about. The reason? Isolation from other cultures. Parents who were either prejudiced against non-Christians, or utterly oblivious to anything other than what they had been taught and were now passing on to their children.
With no disrespect to those who believe in, want to stay attached to, the "Christmas" marquee in every form during this month of numerous holidays of many faiths, I have to defend the use of "Holiday" in MOST situations...for the very reason mentioned above.
If I send a "Merry Christmas" card to a Jewish friend, am I not insulting and offending them? I either send a Happy Hanukkah, or, if I prefer to be frugal and to keep things simple in my life, I will simply buy "Happy Holiday" cards and send that greeting to everyone. This season is not just for Christians: it should be mentioned that Hanukkah is always celebrated a few days before Christmas. (This year on the 21st.)
Ignoring one prominent religion's holy day and demanding that only one religion's Special Day should be mentioned on cards and decorations and through speech, is not what I grew up to understand was the spirit of my country.
"Christmas" is not celebrated by many of the people in my life. It doesn't mean they don't go to parties of their non-Jewish or non-Buddhist friends at this time of the year, as holidays are all about gathering together with friends, family, and celebrating; but it also means that I would not go to their home and call their Hanukkah decorations "Christmas" decorations, would I? Nor would you, right?
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