I couldn't sleep at all last night

Got to thinkin' of you
Baby things weren't right
Well I was tossin' and turnin'
Turnin' and tossin'
A tossin' and turnin' all night

No, that ain't it. I have noticed.... when ya have onea them insomnia-infested nights, it's usually whenya gotta big day ahead....  ya needs sleep bad....  so's ya don't.  Go figure.

I kicked the blankets on the floor
Turned my pillow upside down
I never never did before
'Cause I was tossin' and turnin'
Turnin' and tossin
A-tossin' and turnin' all night

I sleep with a fan.  No, I ain't talkin' bout sleeping with a fan in the Joe Namath, or mebbe Wilt Chamberlin sense - I'm talking about the round thing with blades that electrically circulate the air. That, and the breeze, usually affords snoozing.

Not tonight Maynard.  No, that wasn't a female who'd donned a new nickname on me saying 'huh uh' to amore... It's the "not tonight Maynard" in that that fan, it's breeze, noise, usually works, but 'not tonight Maynard.'  Band camp, onea my favorite next door neighbors ever used 'Maynard' to refer to basically anyone. I kinda liked that.

Side note, (Band Camp 2), onea my favorite fellers to listen to, usually two barstools down, likes to say "Take my advice..... I never use it."

Jumped out of bed
Turned on the light
I pulled down the shade
Went to the kitchen for a bite
Rolled up the shade
Turned off the light
I jumped back into bed
It was the middle of the night

It actually was.  My son, vely long story, has no phone.  He borrows mine.  A lot.  My phone, besides allowing me to know whatinthehell time it is, is akin' to counting sheep as I play Sudoku both when I go to snooze, and, when insomnia (I couldn't sleep at all) happens.  Son, had phone.  "What time is it?"   11:15pm.  Damnit darnit, I was all ready to make coffee and head for Friday. Big day.

The clock downstairs was strikin' four
Couldn't get you off my mind
I heard the milkman at the door
'Cause I was tossin' and turnin'
Turnin' and tossin'

Well, that's not true either.  I ain't gots no milkman.  I drive to Wally, buy the 'great-whatever they call it' brand, halfa gallon for like two bucks.  Speakino' milkman (DANGER DANGER WILL ROBINSON... anyone who still [somehow] has half'a dollar of respect for me, turn your head here.  Yes, that's prolly/maybe you, relatives, former students, players, yada.)........

Band Camp 3.  I had a buddy, a good buddy, that was actually onea the last ever door to door milkman deliverers.  He'd done it for a few years.  In spitea all the 'that baby looks kinda like the milkman' jokes, he once said nuttin like that ever happened..........

Well.............  until....

On his route...  there was a household...  his usual method (for each and every household) was to crack open the front door... place the milk inside, boot scoot to the next delivery.  In this specific house...  he'd noticed "very pretty lady"..... oh, and in the dining room, they didn't have a dining room table, instead - they had a pool table.

Like Monday thru Friday too damn early clockwork, he'd motor for his deliveries.  This specific lady was always cordial..  "hi howya doin?'...  'good.... you?'..  "have a nice day".. .  "yeah, you too."

Well.............. until..  

This specific day....... my buddy the mailman cracked open the door.. .and imagine his surprise when he noticed... she'd forgotten to put on her clothes for the day... also, she appeared to be mebbe taking a nap atop the pool table...  butt... er, I mean but, she was awake.

In fact, she uttered........ "Play a game?"

Where was I?  Oh yeah, insomnia......

A tossin' and turnin' all night

Jumped out of bed
Turned on the light
I pulled down the shade
Went to the kitchen for a bite
Rolled up the shade
Turned off the light
I jumped back into bed
It was the middle of the night

I was tossin' and turnin', prolly like my buddy the milkman who had to get up so dadgum early, and now..  due to his billiard acumen, it's for dadgum sure he had udder nights of insomnia.  I never asked him if they played 8 ball or 9 ball, who won or anything like that..  he just said "never happened again" so, I assume she remembered to get dressed.

The clock downstairs was strikin' four
I couldn't get you off my mind
I heard the milkman at the door
'Cause I was tossin' and turnin'
Turnin' and tossin'
A tossin' and turnin' all, yay, yay, yay
I was a tossin' and turnin'
Turnin' and tossin'
A tossin' and turnin' all night
I was a tossin' and turnin'
Turnin' and tossin'
A tossin' and turnin' all night

We'd done covered the milkman story, tyvm, we know too my son borrowed phone, so, no idea what time it was....... I jumped outta bed, grumpily (probably, certainly) asked "WHERE'S MY PHONE?".. oh, sorry.. .he'd put it back on my bed.

The clock hadn't struck 4.. it was 2:15am, damnit darnit, too early to make coffee... Looked again, 2:50, nope..  finally, 3:53am, I'd Sudoko'ed myself back to sleep for an hour...  jumped up (ha, groaned, weakly pushed up) out of bed.

I read the news today oh boy.  Victor, you do that everyday?  Uh huh, do. As long as I've made my relatives shocked, my former players students shudder, shake their heads, I ain't got nuttin to lose so I might as well tell another risque story.

I noticed you perverts are still here, everyone else 'closed the link' fitteen minutes ago.

I (sometimes) like to dig into, Google names, crosscheck, folks that write letters to the editor, have their own opine... just to see if they really are goody-two-shoes, or, if mebbe they too gotta skeleton in their closet.  Feller was writing about some inhumane things happening in the animal world.

Digging, Googling his name... hmmmm.... seems he had a pretty high up position (the top position actually) in a large group for hound dogs.  2018, forced resignation due to repeated allegations of sexual harassment. Sometimes I shake my head.  Uh huh, disbelief.  I tried to find if he was ever convicted, never found that he was.  You'll prolly never come back, and I wouldn't blame you...I'm certain his intent was good, but there was a touch of irony in that his letter to the editor was...........

Basically, about the evils of cockfighting.

I blame today's blog on insomnia.

I couldn't sleep at all last night.

Victurd, go to your room. I would but I can't sleep. And I ain't got my phone.

Love, Victurd

Going steady.........

Yarn,  and the whole ball of wax........

No, that ain't it.  If you're old, you remember.  A ring.  Usually a class ring, but, didn't haveta be. Usually the guy's hands, fingers are bigger'n the gals, sooooooooo... his ring..  some yarn wrapped around. There. Did it.  We're exclusive.  Whatever that means.

THE BEGINNING OF:            the end, some might say.  A beautiful thing, others would add. Who knows?  A family of twelve?  I'm old now, I can't even remember her first name....  He/she (drank,, bragged, worked, 'wandered', socialized, smothered, griped, controlled, spent) too much.  He/she was perfect there Goldilocks.  Slow down there with all that there Slim, I just learned how to spell sophomore!

Band camp. James Taylor, couple weeks ago. Gal from the crowd hollers out "I LOVE YOU!"......... James... smiled...  said...  "I never really know how to respond to that...   but, I think we should see others too." (Band camp, quite a few moons prior, same thing happened when Dolly Parton was singing at the arena in downtown KC, dude hollers "I LOVE YOU DOLLY!" and without missing a beat, she belts out "I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU TO STAY IN THE TRUCK!"

We can never know about the days to come
But we think about them anyway
And I wonder if I'm really with you now
Or just chasin' after some finer day

Infatuation, infatuation,
Is makin' me late
Is keepin' me waitin'

Remember?  Googly eyes.  Ya wrote their name on everything.  You tied up mom and dad's landline for hours talking about nothing.  Older/younger siblings would become incensed, begging mom/dad to make you get offa the phone.

And I tell you how easy it feels to be with you
And how right your arms feel around me
But I, I rehearsed those words just late last night
When I was thinkin' about how right tonight might be

Infatuation, infatuation
Is makin' me late
Is keepin' me waitin'

And tomorrow we might not be together
I'm no prophet and I don't know nature's ways
So I'll try and see into your eyes right now
And stay right here 'cause these are the good old days

Agree there... no matta' the age.  Ya never know.  Ifn's ya do break up (I hope ya git ur class ring back, I ain't rightly sure where/who mine went, ha!).. all those books ya wrote on, the yearbooks ya notated "Jack loves Diane" (or Hank, Suzy, Bill, Sally, yada).. 

Gotta buddy.  I know I've told this before. Sorry, kinda.  Anyways, in his billfold, he kept a picture of his then girlfriend (Flash foward 40 years, they married, happy as can be).. anyways... he had a pic of her in his billfold..  in the pic was his gf, and, another dude.  He really really liked the pic of her, so, no problem.. a little masking tape to cover the dude.. he shows everyone how perty she looks.  Wonder if he's still got it in his billfold?

Holy crap can you think that far back?  I know, in our high school class there were couples who lived, breathed that infatuation into marriage. A few, very longterm. 

Que sera sera.  I don't know how you look back on those days, but I do so fondly. While it's a certainty, being head over heels, googly eyed, 'all I can think of', madly infatuated, is/can be, rewarding, unhealthy, very healthy, yummy, sweaty, petty.... the wonder of an interpersonal relationship. Oh I wonder wonder wonder wonder WHO, who wrote the book of love?

We all did.

Going steady was in fact, yummy.  We would go, go, go.  Couldn't wait for that first peek of the day. Grab em for a hug. Hand in hand down the hall. Math, science, English, Home Ec, PE.. who cares.. all I think of is............. her/him.

Nowadays, going steady kinda means something else.  If an old man is lucky (and I don't mean that kinda lucky) he is able to go steady...  go, go, go (without intermittence), can't wait for that first pee of the day..  then, ahem, the other thing..  then, be thankful for the grab bars. Hands on the wall down the hall.  What day is it?  Why'd I come into this room (den, living room, dining room, basement, attic, mancave, sheshed, yada). I think a nap is a wonderful idea. If only I could remember his/her name, I'd ask if he/she wanted to take a nap as well.

And stay right here 'cause these are the good old days
(These are the good old days)
(These are the good old days)
(These are the good old days)
(These are the good old days)

Infatuation, infatuation
Is makin' me late
Is keepin' me waitin'

As with much in growing older... I don't remember the purpose... why I thoughta that.. why I wrote about it.. I just remember how good it was... and, whilst I ain't presently coupled, how good it felt.  I hope your memories are as grand as well.

Keep going steady.. no matta how many real hips/knees ya got.  Smile, show them shiny teeth, even if they ain't urs.  

Have a lovely day........... you know, kinda like Bill said...  harken back, remember that initital infatuation... I hope it's still going steady......

Then I look at you
And the world's alright with me
Just one look at you
And I know it's gonna be
A lovely day (lovely day, lovely day, lovely day, lovely day)
(Lovely day, lovely day, lovely day, lovely day)
A lovely day (lovely day, lovely day, lovely day, lovely day)
(Lovely day, lovely day, lovely day, lovely day)

Love, Victurd

"I'll take 'Questions that basically answer themselves' for $200, please Alex."

Does a bear....... Ahm, what do you think?

Is the Pope........  (A common rhetorical question, used to mean an emphatic yes.)  Used to?  I mean, like, I used to weigh 40 lbs less? The Pope used to be.....?

Naughty or nice?  Yes......

Have you ever failed a CAPTCHA test?

Buehler?

The hell is CAPTCHA?  Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart, ie, are you a robot?

Is Mr. Roboto real or made of Styx?

How was your weekend Bernie?

Would you go to WalMart wearing what you're wearing now?

Would some people go to WalMart wearing what you're wearing now?

Ever pulled up to the speaker in the outside lane at Mickey D's... you wait...silence...  the person on the inside lane finishes ordering, pulls up..  silence.. the next person on the inside lane moves to the speaker..  you hear (the speaker on the inside lane) "Hi, welcome to McDonalds will you be using your mobile app?" and you go ballistic? Me too.

Toilet paper over the top, or under?

'Things I've used when I've run out of TP' for $100 Alex.

What things?

(I've counted........ 26 sentences without breaking out in one song.  Whatsup with that Alex?)

Do you believe in magic?  How deep is your love?  Do you hear what I hear?  What's your name?  Are you experienced?  Does anybody really know what time it is? Do you know the muffin man?  Do you feel like we do?

On Frampton's Do You Feel, should they have used the CAPTCHA test?  Was it Peter?  His guitar?  AI? Mr. Roboto?

Yes Mr. Carlin, your beard is weird.

No Mr. Gibbons I never have.. I much prefer Mulberry, Maple or PawPaw trees.

Have I really sat here (and not gotten up or clicked the X in the upper right corner) through 20 of these stupid things?

Uh huh, have.  Missouri is a 21 State, may I see your ID please.

Why do fools fall in love?  Can I get a witness?  Do you want to know a secret? Why don't we do it in the road? (Ask a squirrel)..  

Mr. Trebek, not really. The rain in Spain falls mainly in the mountains and north of the country, not in the plains. The song lyrics are translated into Spanish as "Rain in Seville is a wonder" (La lluvia en Sevilla es una maravilla), which keeps the rhyme of the original version, but it speaks of Seville not of the plains. By George they missed it. Sorry Julie, Higgins.

Think it'll rain?

Albert Hammond?  You and your "It Never Rains In Southern California" are NUTS!  It pours!  Man it pours.

If life rains on your parade, pucker up buttercup. Thinka the poor street cleaner sweeper uppers having to deal with all that runny horse manure......

Did it really nave no name?  Should we run a CAPTCHA test?  Nah, that America song was a buncha horsesh*t.  (Sorry. Kinda.) It was Flicka. My friend Flicka.

Are you lonesome tonight?  Why can't we be friends? What's love got to do, got to do with it? How much is that doggie in the window? PATTI PAGE!  You should be ashamed!  Go to a Shelter.. Call a Rescue.. It's fun to stay at the YMCA. no.. that ain't it..  I mean the ASPCA, it's fun, go there.

Is that all there is?

Uh huh, it is Peggy.....  Crazy, ain't it Patsy?

A life that's cohesive ain't guarandamnteed to be fun.

Love, Victurd

Sometimes I wonder, what I'm a-gonna do........

 I'm a-gonna raise a fuss, I'm a-gonna raise a holler

About a-workin' all summer just-a tryin' to earn a dollar
Every time I call my baby, try to get a date
My boss says "No dice son, you gotta work late"

Sometimes I wonder, what I'm a-gonna do
But there ain't no cure for the summertime blues

Eddie Cochran wrote this song in 19 fitty-eight.  Chevy's had them big fins, Arnie just won his first Masters... . One in ten young adults (the enda the Silent Generation, the beginning of the Baby Boomers), still slept in the basement, den, yada, Maynard G. Krebs allergically echoed his first "WORK!":

I mean hells bells, ya had to pump gas, haul hay, sumpin...  gas was thirty cent'a gallon, a ticket for CindyLou and you to the local theater was sixty-eight cents.

Oh, well, my mom and papa told me "Son, you gotta make some money"

If you wanna use the car to go a-ridin' next Sunday
Oh, well, I didn't go to work told the boss I was sick
"Uh, you can't use the car 'cause you didn't work a lick"

Sometimes I wonder what I'm a-gonna do
But there ain't no cure for the summertime blues

Were WE lazy?  70's, roughly same number of young adults lived at home.  Ten percent.  If... If I (and she) rented the detached garage from my folks, does that make us "live at mom and dads playing video games young snotnose adults?"    Did we even have video games?  (Victor, you ignorant slut, Pong came out in 1972.)  Thanks, I think.

I'm gonna take two weeks gonna have a fine vacation it 
I'm gonna take my problem to the United Nations
Oh, well, I called my congressman, and he said, quote
"I'd like to help you son, but you're too young to vote"

Sometimes I wonder what I'm a-gonna do
But there ain't no cure for the summertime blues

The number of young adults living at home (some call 'em 'creeps' due to that ) has been creeping up over the years. Reached  a high of 30% during Covid...  but, it's back down to 2 of every 10, in the den, man-cave, she-shed, basement, wharever, playing whatever it is they play.  Whadda they called now? Gen Z?  Yeah, that's it.

"Economics" they say, and, there is a bitta truth to that.  "Lazy sum'bit*hes" Archie Bunker types might holler.  

Band camp........ Long ago I was in Vegas listening to a comedian, funny guy, since - jailed for some really ugly stuff.. served time, now out..   anyways...  he was talking about being honored to speak at his daughter's graduation.  VICTOR? Huh?  You've told this before.  Ahm, so, he spoke at her college graduation.  After, they hugged, congratulated, on their way.  Said comedian, dad, speaker, noticed in his rear view mirror, daughter's car behind them.  Turned right. She turned right.

He turned left.  She turned left.  Then left again, and she too, left.  He pulled over.  She pulled over.  Walked to her car. Pleasantries.  "Where are you going?"  "Home" she answered.  "Is that somewhere near where we live?"

Sometimes they come back ya know.

My take.  If a 'kid' (said lovingly) needs help, he/she needs help. Sure, some push it.  It's said push comes to shove.  I vote, get in and outta work at as early age as you can.  Frienda mine, her son JUST RETIRED (stock broker) at age 38.  Autoworkers, out in 30 (I have a good buddy, retired from GM at age 47.).  Teachers too, out in 30.. Find work at fun (hopefully along with healthcare after you retire [if yain't old enough for Medicare], and, sure, pension would be groovy, right Maynard?") If ya ain't found fun in your work career, mebbe after you retire early you can find something fun.

The number nerds at the Social Security office tell us...  when folks retire (as most do, around 65) the life expectancy for a female is another 19.66  years.  Us old geezers, another 16.94 years.

Sometimes I wonder what I'm a-gonna do
But there ain't no cure for the summertime blues

I call BS.  There are all kindsa things to do, especially in the summer.  Me personally (VICTOR, who askedya?)  ahem.. for me, golf, i occasionally go walk in the pool, work a couple days, write blogs that struggle to gain any cohesion, not nearly enough grandkid outings (I'll work on that, a promise) and sure, an occasional Miller Lite out and about... 

and...  Sometimes, I just take those old records off the shelf
I'll sit and listen to 'em by myself
Today's music ain't got the same soul
I like that old time rock and roll.

My vote - I'd give anything to be able to go snooze on mom, dad's couch.. visit.. hug, love.  What's wrong with extending something like that in the early parta one's life?

Love, Victurd

Stop the music.........

Gimme a break, gimme a break, break me offa piecea that Kit Kat Bar..

Time out ref.

I'm on break boss.. . back in fitteen.

"Not tonight honey" said mama bear, "I'm gonna take a (7 month hibernation) nap."  "Damnit darnit" said papa bear.

Vaca.  Schools out, for the summer......

Me time.  Older I get, seems the more I need, want, gots to have, me time.  I mean, I like/love people and all, but, (this blog will self destruct in two minutes) sometimes I don't like/love people and all.

I started to do a blog on (I Googled) "What types of people are there?"  Turns out, there's Four.  A (Director), B (Socializer), C (Thinker) & D (Supporter). Well, hell's bells. (Side note. I had no idea where the expression hell's bells came from, so.. I learned, it simply means 'an expression of anger or annoyance'.. and, when I Googled that, up popped an ad for a set of hybrid golf clubs, because, last week, I went on Amazon and looked up how much hyrbid golf clubs cost.  Pop ups = hell's bells, anger and annoyance.  Besides, I'm 71, do I really think new clubs are gonna helps me?

So......... ya got the Director, Socializer, Thinker and Supporter...  but... or... butt... what about the whiney butt?..  the TALKS TOO LOUD..  the person that always tries to FIX YOU.  that one that says "what did you think about ______ saying to _____ yesterday.?"  I dunno, but, me thinks, once I ain't wit'ya, you'll sit with someone else and say "What did you think about VICTOR saying to _________ yesterday.  Them kind.  VICTOR?  Yes?  You think you're perfect?  Ahm, no. I just needs me a Kit Kat Bar.

One'a my buddies that thankfully swings by here, has every right to raise his hand and say "AHM VICTOR.... remember when YOU usedto say "Loose lips sink ships...... then, you'd let them lips loose on something our boss said, remember?"  Si. I do. My book, earned it! Sorry, not really, times two.

Another site........ told me, nuh uh, 5 kinds of people. Uno, Conscientious. Dos, Extrovert. Tres, Agreeable. Cuatro, Open to experience. Cinco. Nuerotic.  AHA!  SEE?  Toldya they/we gots defects! ABCD your way to F my friend. 

If ya wanna stick to the alphabet, there's............... A = anal.... analyzes (too much).. applies way too much makeup.. angry..  anxious..   B = boring...... bland... butthead... belittler... beaker (that's a regional thing.. it's someone who honors/cherishes/all they talk about, a fictitious bird).   C = crybaby.... curt...  cunning...  complicated..   D = duh.. . dummy.. dramatic.. 

Victor?  Huh?  You had breakfast yet?  Nuh uh, why?  Cause it sounds as if mebbe someone peed in your Corn Flakes. Very funny.  Don't you.. YOU Mr. Blog Question Asker, ever wanna get away? You know, like...........

Leavin', on a jet plane..    Born to run..   On the road again... I can't wait to get on the road again (you too Willie? 90 years around people, I can unnerstand why!)..  Just hop off the bus, Gus.

Sometimes I simply have those Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah, Alan Sherman moments where it's raining (people)... and I wanna go home, get the hell outta Camp (People) Granada.  Is that a foul? I love Kit Kat Bars.  Heath is my alltime fav, but, dayum hard to find.  Speaking of delusional.. VICTOR? Who spoke about delusional?  Oh yeah, sorry, guess I didn't, hadn't, but, were you aware WalMart NO LONGER HAS MILK DUDS? I think all them damn checkeroutters they fired when they did the self checkout thing, I think THEY stole em.

Ahm, Victor?  Can we call someone to assist you?  A shrink mebbe?

Just a song before I go, to whom it may concern.......

I loves me some people.  A lotta people.  Most people.  People help keep my want to be on the planet..

Kind. Giving. Caring. Fun. Smile. People make our world go round.  Family. Friends. BLOG READERS.  Coworkers. Clerks. Service industry folks. Church folk. Neighbors. That guy two barstools down who is ALWAYS happy. I loves me some people, honest I do.

Sometimes I, you, me, we, all.. . need a Kit Kat. 

A lake whar' ya can't see any other homo sapiens.

A mountain cabin at an altitude so high there ain't no dude, or dudettes to be found.

A glamp, whar' there ain't a glimpse of a soul.

Sometimes..  just for a moment, I'd rewrite Barbara's song...............

"People.  People, who needs people?."

Stop, stop, stop all the dancing
Give me time to breathe
Stop, stop, stop all the dancing
Or I'll have to leave

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wait a minute, it stopped hailing.
Guys are swimming, guys are sailing.
Playing baseball, gee that's better.
Muddah, Fadduh, kindly disregard this letter!

Put me in Coach... I'm ready to play... today.. 

Victor, spoken like a true person who occasionally gets depressed.  Yeah, I reckon. People truly are wonderful.  Lean on me.  Or, rather, I lean on you.  When two lean on each other, they walk upright.

Just baby respites where I crave a Kit Kat......... Gus.

Love, ABCDNuerotic Victurd

Good gosh Gertie.......

I read the news today oh boy........

Say it ain't so...........

Do you know the way to San Jose?

THE very first Chuck E. Cheese restaurant opened around 1977 in San Jose, CA...... (Ripley says "would you believe it was founded by Atari founder Nolan Bushnell?  Shake, shake shake... shake shake shake  - my robotic head up and down, uh huh, would.) It was the first family restaurant to incorporate food with arcade games and animated entertainment.

The concept has been remarkable.  Ya buy a pizza that tastes so incredibly horrible, the kids will jump up from the table to go "Mommy can I get another dollar so I can get four quarters" feed arcade games.  Parents would scoff, get upset... then, sometime later that month they'd go to the casino, press the button for 'maximum bet' and one spin would dwarf what the snotnoses spent.

Chuck E. Cheese sang.  Played guitar.  Told jokes.  Tickets, you could get tickets.  One location had onea them booths ya go into, it blows a fan and tickets go all over, ya got like one minute to grab all the tickets you can.  

In some parts, Chuck E. Cheese himself (in costume) would come out, give a special hug (and more tickets) to the Birthday snotnose whilst, snotnose's 3 year old little brother ran horrifically, hid under the table in the back corner.

Night's end, you'd help junior carry up a boatload of tickets, covered in sweat, applesauce, marinara, chocolate milk, yada... while anudder young snotnose ("it's my first job!") would count 'em out and ya got to pick a prize from the corresponding shelf in the display case. A Chinese somethingorother toy that generally broke before you even got outta the parking lot on the way home.

Well.........  Chuck E. is no more (except for one location nationwide).. They are appealing to kids changing interests.. flashing screens, not, animatronic animals.  Coincidentally, Chuck E. is going to the Animatronic Golden Acres just weeks before the film "Five Nights At Freddy's" comes out.. it's based on a 2014 video game where players must survive five nights in a defunct pizza arcade where nefarious animatronics come to life after dark.  CEO say "nah, that ain't why."  

Victor?  Yeah?  You have NO idea what nefarious means do ya? YOU are evil to even ask if I know!   Seeya Chuck E.  It's been real.. and it's been fun.. well, you know the rest.

Dateline Kansas City..... Social media "SEND MJ MELENDEZ TO OMAHA!:"  Huh?  Grand slam?  To beat the Dodgers?  NVMND.

Woman (KC Area) convicted of murder and imprisoned over 40 years ago, innocent, so says judge.  Holy guacamole.  Can you imagine?  Me 

neither.  1980.  Just a tad has changed since then. Bless her, and I can only imagine how screwed (and screwed up) her brain must feel.

OK, I understand Chuck E. becoming outdated.  I can see, understand (kinda) court, judge, prosecuter, defense attorney, jury error (kinda).

I do not understand Afghanistan.  It's now been over a year since women have been forced to leave all schools once they turn 11.  Geez Louise.  We, us here in these great United States think we're messed up.  

Maria Malikzada, 25, had been studying to be a lawyer when the ban took place.  Devastation.  Her fiance suggested 'why are we waiting' (for marriage).. “My fiancé said ‘You are not working and not allowed to work or study. So it’s time to get married,’” said Malikzada. “So, now I’m married. Like, forced marriage. Because there was nothing to do.”

Malikzada said she wanted to get married eventually — but not like this. Now, she lives with her husband and father-in-law, and she’s pretty down.  “I’m empty,” she said. “No goal, no job.” 

Gertie?  You seen my Rolaids?

On a brighter note, Happy Father's Day to all fathers.  We wouldn't, couldn't be here without ya!

Life is a weird movie.  Peanuts, popcorn... and (for me at least) an occasional Miller Lite.

TASTE GREAT!  LESS FILLING!

I give up.  Well, no, I don't. I guess I'm just thankful in my 'roundness' physique, I don't get (as) all bent outta shape anymore!

Loveya, Victurd

On the front porch swing.........

Ran across a buddy of mine who was walking pretty slow, tired.. mebbe sore muscles involved.  VICTOR?  Yes?  You haven't 'ran' across anything in at least ten years. Bite me, but, yes.

Came across a buddy of mine who was walking pretty slow, tired.. mebbe sore muscles involved.   Turns out, he'd been working, weeding, cleaning up his backyard, porch, "so I can finally sit out back and simply enjoy."

Out back is nice, granted.  No Gladys Kravitz eyeballing thru the blinds..  Big ole firs on the East side... hella tall fence around the rest, keeping Wilsons from peeking over.. Wanna get away?  The backyard rocks.

I, on the other hand, being lefthanded, ha, love the front porch and porch swing.  Ya see the snotnoses up and down the street on their bikes, trikes, $300 battery operated plastic cars that last three months..  Neighbors walking, small talk if you like 'em, and vice versa..  Up and down, F-150's, SUV's, beaters, classic cars, razors, golf carts, the whole ball of wax.

Side note..... I didn't know until I was 71 (today).. where that (the whole ball of wax) came from.  Seems it's a 17th century legal practice whereby land was divided among heirs by covering scraps of paper representing portion of land with wax, rolling each into a ball, and drawing the balls from a hat.

It's taken me four paragraphs to get to my point...  people watching... front porch vs back porch.. ya see more.. the cars, the kids, the neighbors, nosy or not.  People watching, the front porch swing is, the bomb, as in I've got rhythm, I've got music, I've got ma' eyeballs who could ask for anything more....

Today.  Yesterday, a friend posted about today.. "Buddy (THE most popular canine in Clay County, mebbe 'Merica) says don't forget to fly your flag tomorrow." So, in my simpleton, C+ brain, I sank down in the porch swing as if to hide from  really smart people... and asked.. "the hell is tomorrow?" (ie, today.)  National Martini Day?  Nah, surely that's not it... National Photography Day?  Ok, but what's that got to do with the flag?.. Ah, OK.. it's Flag Day...  right you are Buddy, bark on.....

Tomorrow... tomorrow is Father's Day.  Among those views from the porch swing... I see, sense, happy... sad... indifferent... 'my everything'..  "my stepdad raised me"..  fond, fond memories, gone too soon.  My mom was my mom, and dad too!   Differn't.  All.

There's Andy..... Homer..... Al Bundy...  Archie....  Red Forman (I ain't never watched that show)..   Frank Gallagher... The Father Knows Best father..   Ward Cleaver...   Uncle Phil...  Dan Conner... Jack Torrance.... Mike Brady..  

Ya see a pattern here?  Me neither.  Pickemup trucks, SUV's, beaters, Harleys, Big ole Lincolns, tractors...  ya write those dads, your dad, my dad, our dads, his/her dads, on a scrap of paper..  cover 'em with wax..  put em in a hat.. . ya got the whole ball of wax.

"I'll never forget watching parades.. ballgames.. going to and fro' the car, atop my dad's shoulders...  He traveled a lot, was home every other weekend... Most nights he's at the bar..   Dad treats mom like the queen she is...   It was our mom who ran off, our dad has raised the three of us...  Dad coached any, every sport I played as a kid....  Dad and I rassled, caught bluegill, fixed Chevy's, learnt TONS from him...  While he never said so, I could kinda tell he liked my sisters the best...   If dad honked the car Sunday morning, we had one minute to be in it or, he'd leave for church AND, it wasn't a fun thing when he got home.

Life, the truth, hurts... feels so, so good... is, meh...   Parenting is, can be, trying (so can 'childing')...

I was lucky.  I adored my father.  

Around the World...........

Korea........ there is no Father's Day...   They have Parent's Day on the 8th of May.

Germany...   Father's Day, or, Männertag or Men’s Day, is spent with wagons of beer and tons of regional food.

China.. .  Before the Chinese people began celebrating Father's day on the third Sunday of June, they initially held it every 8th of August. The reason behind this has something to do with their language. Their colloquial term for father is ba-ba, which is equivalent to papa in English. As it happens, the number eight is also pronounced ba, which means celebrating on the 8th of August, or 8-8, would make it ba-ba as well. 

Even though most businesses have transitioned to business casual, the necktie is still among the most popular Father's Day gifts...  My cousin's family, in his honor (and absence) stitched his ties together and made a wonderful Christmas Tree skirt they use annually.

If you are a dad, Happy Father's Day. If you have your dad (and you feel it) hug him, love him, call him, dote on him..  

Me?  I plan on going to Germany, you know, last name Schultze and all... has nothing to do with wagons of beer and tons of regional food.

Love, .Victurd <-- donned on me somewhere around 1965 by my Father.