Choose Wisely

 Eighteen days ago I decided to free myself from the burden of all social media and what a difference it has made. (I should say almost all social media. I am still on Instagram to stay connected with some family.) But the rest of it -- Reddit, Threads, Twitter, and especially Facebook -- I've waived a middle finger and turned my back to the wind, as they say. I would recommend everyone to do the same.

Why did I do this? First, everything today is dominated by politics and I found myself going on social media daily (like almost everyone) and spending hours feeding into the paranoia, anxiety and outright anger of others. Even more pathetic is half the information on social media is false, but, incredibly, that doesn't even seem to matter!

Not only was I wasting hours doing absolutely nothing, but far worse than that, the time spent on those sites was weighing heavily on my mental health. I got to the point that it felt like the world really was ending. That's not how life should be lived.

If social media had a face...

So I pulled the plug.

Now I am finding myself a much happier person. Yes, I follow the news. And yes, I am among those that feel our country is in a very messed up place right now, but it cannot define my existence. 

Fast forward two and a half weeks: other than life's usual challenges, I am relaxing and reading Get Happy by Gerald Clarke, a biography of Grand Rapids' own Judy Garland. And my biggest stressors right now are my NCAA brackets and who to cut from my fantasy football dynasty team. That's the kind of stress I prefer.

Before I left social media, I remember someone, somewhere said, "How can people just go on living their lives like nothing is wrong?" That was the moment I knew I had to say adios to the screens and apps. Because what the hell am I supposed to do? Lock myself in a dark room and never come out? It seems that is what some people were suggesting.

Life is about choices. I've made mine.

^^^

On a related note, this weekend I have been enjoying watching the NCAA National Tournament... but even Instagram, my lone connection to social media, has more than its share of toxicity. 

McNeese State has a student manager named Amir Khan and he became a "social media sensation" early in the tournament after walking out with the team with a giant boombox around his neck. He even got a  nickname: "Aura." Khan is a 22 year-old sports management major from Lake Charles, Louisiana; just a typical college kid doing his job as student manager and having fun with his team; he is clearly beloved by the players. 

But the goons were out in force on Instagram. "He's an idiot" "WTF?" "A fat banana" were among the more kind comments. And it hit home AGAIN the reason why I left most social media. It is a fucking sewage tank full of pathetic souls who are miserable in the their own lives and it kills them to see anybody enjoying their own.

"Aura" Khan walking out with the team.

The fact is, these are young people enjoying the moment -- a once in a lifetime moment at that. I mean, Kahn was sitting next to Spike Lee on Saturday. How cool is that? Oh, and guess what? McNeese State defeated the heavily favored Clemson Tigers in the first round, which was their first NCAA tournament victory in school history. 

How dare anyone be happy for them? 

Life is about choices. Choose wisely.

No Social Media Experiment

 I had a revelation this morning while driving my son to school. I was surfing through channels on Sirius XM because they took away the mindless program I used to listen to in the morning, "Fantasy Football Morning." Fantasy football is a longtime hobby of mine and I enjoyed listening to fellow blockheads who shared that passion. Now it is gone.

[Whenever I find something that I really enjoy, the powers that be must find out about it and take it away, just to make me miserable: "Mike and Mike" on ESPN -- I watched that for years, then ESPN decided it was a good idea to get rid of it. Then Sirius XM launched a great channel a few years ago called "Volume," which was all music talk, all day. I listened to the channel morning, afternoon and night. I loved it. Then they took it away.]

Now they've taken away "Fantasy Football Morning," which I have enjoyed for several years. It sucks. One common theme to all these programs I enjoyed listening to? They never talked about politics. 

So, while desperately trying to find something to entertain me this morning (I settled on BBC World Service), I concluded that I cannot get away from politics anymore. And I cannot accept that. 

I know these are beyond turbulent times in the USA. We are a divided nation and I do not think that division will ever be repaired. I personally think the "great American experiment," as George Washington once eloquently described it, is sounding its death rattle. 

Politics and political talk consume everything, and seemingly, everyone. And it is ugly. 

Social media especially is a vicious, vacant black hole of political brimstone. Facebook. Reddit. Twitter. Threads. All are disgusting. Strangers insulting strangers. Threats being made. The hate in this country is palpable. I've finally reached the breaking point.

Which brings me back to my revelation today: I can control what I am exposed to. I don't need all this social media garbage! My god, what a refreshing thought! Constant exposure to negativity and anger and paranoia and outright hate wears on one's psyche. Not only is it unhealthy for the soul, it is a breeding ground for contempt, and ultimately, depression. I refuse to be pulled into the offal.

I am not sticking my head in the sand; I will continue to follow current events from proper, reliable sources (AP, Reuters, BBC -- yes, these are reliable sources; no, they do not report "fake news." Get a fucking brain cell). 

My plan of action:

I actually deleted my Twitter accounts more than a month ago, which was a good start. I knew I could control that. It's not much, but I felt good about doing it.

Reddit is gone. It is a fun place to explore, but it also has its share of angst. I'm too old for angst.

Facebook is worst of all and I only have an account because of my band; I need a personal account in order to have a business account. (Facebook used to be a fun, pleasant place to interact. It certainly isn't anymore, and I don't see it ever getting back to good). My solution to limit Facebook exposure was to download the Business Suite app which allowed me to remove the Facebook app from my devices. Again, it's not much, but I can control that.

I will keep Instagram only because my kids like to share videos and pictures with me from time to time. But the Threads app from Instagram is another dark, dark place to wander.

So I am going to try this experiment for a month (today is March 5) and see how I feel about... things. No social media other than Instagram. It will be difficult at first because social media triggers that "addictive" part of the brain. But if I could stop drinking alcohol for six weeks, I can easily do this.

It will also mean I will be reading books and writing a lot more, which is always a good thing. I think this is going to be a great, healthy change for me. I am excited to try it.

Random picture of the day: Portraits of wolves, taken at Dottie's Hometown Cafe in Grand Rapids, MN. Saturday morning, 1 March 2025.

Grand Rapids Weekend

 We went on an improvised getaway to Grand Rapids, MN, over the weekend. We've done a few little "flash vacations" to smaller towns around Minnesota over the last few years. It is surprising the neat things you can find if you just know where to look. 

We love breweries and Grand Rapids is home to two very good ones: Rapids Brewing and Klockow Brewing. Rapids Brewing was hopping on Friday night; the house playlist was great and the beer and food was excellent. We ordered the Italian Stallion pizza, which featured pickled onions and peppers and a crust glazed with maple syrup, baked in a wood-fired oven. It was spicy and paired great with beer (not a coincidence, I can assure you). They also had a full cocktail bar. A great place to unwind with friends.

Klockow Brewing had a local artist exhibit on display when we were there. It was a very cool, artsy vibe and the beer was most excellent.

Local artist Tom Page had his paintings on display at Klockow Brewing on March 1st, 2025.

Supply Line Hazy IPA and cards at Klockow Brewing

We enjoyed a delicious homemade breakfast at Dottie's Hometown Cafe, which is the last locally owned and operated cafe in Grand Rapids; keeping the theme of supporting small, local businesses I had to visit Wildflower Bookshop and (naturally) added three more books to my reading list.

The highlight of the weekend was the Judy Garland Museum and Birthplace. The experience was truly beyond my expectations. 

Frances Gumm, later known to the world as Judy Garland, is the most famous resident of Grand Rapids and this small museum had a surprising number of personal mementos from Garland's personal collection as well as a large collection of motion picture memorabilia. The original house she lived in is onsite and museum goers were free to walk around the entire place, which was a very cool experience.

An original dress from the Wizard of Oz test shot.

The original carriage from Wizard of Oz, pulled by the Horse of a Different Color, as Dorothy enters Oz.

An original Wizard of Oz script.

Judy and her sisters (known as the "Gumm Sisters") rehearsed on this landing in the 1920s, presumably because it was the shape of a small stage. The Gumm sisters first appeared on stage at the New Grand Theater in Grand Rapids. They later moved to California and hit the "big time," appearing in several films before Judy's solo career skyrocketed.

The living room of the original Gumm house, the landing "stage" is to the right.

Judy's personal datebook, with notes in her handwriting.

Judy's address book. That's Alfred Hitchcock's address and phone number at the bottom!

An original "Winkie spear" from Wizard of Oz

Judy's personal gold record for "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." She recorded the song on October 7, 1938, and it went on to be named the #1 song in a motion picture by the American Film Institute and the #1 Song of the Century by the RIAA and the National Endowment for the Arts. Groundbreaking and record setting in every sense.

It was a fun weekend and a much needed break from the routine. If you ever get the opportunity, the Judy Garland Museum and Birthplace is worth the drive!

Crime and Punishment

 I am happy to report to myself that I have finished Crime and Punishment and I completed the book in under a month, which for me is reading at warp speed. But to be honest, it was really that good! The last few chapters were page turners and I wasn't really sure what was going to happen until the very last sentence of the novel. I mean that literally. Now that is good writing.

A couple of negatives, and this was probably on me, because I didn't read to foreword and I have a feeling this was addressed in that portion of the book: Dostoevsky would frequently use three different names for the same character. Their last name. Their first and middle name. Their nickname. He would use these interchangeably and it took me quite a while to finally catch on that, for example, "Rodya," Rodion Romanovitch" and "Raskolnikov" were all the same person. I found myself going back in the book and trying to figure out who was who until I finally got familiar with all the characters. My guess is this was a cultural thing and not much thought was even given to it at the time.

Also, the novel was written in the formal, Victorian style of the time, which was just fine, but it was also translated from Russian to English, which made it much more of a challenge to read. But the plot and the sub-plots and all the interweaving of the characters' stories was masterful. 

I am not a literary expert, but I am guessing this was one of the earliest novels to dig into the psychological profile of murderer (not to give away the plot in case you want to read it... but yes, a crime was committed!). It was published in 1866 but still resonates today. I wasn't sure I would like this book or even make it to the end... and I am so glad I decided to give it a try! Like I said, I couldn't put it down when I got to the last 75 pages or so.

Up next, I think I am going to read another classic published more than 140 years before Crime and Punishment and 50 years before the Declaration of Independence. Bet you can't guess what it is!

No More Cable, A Consult, Super Bowl Tickets and Snow!

 Yesterday was a rather empowering day for me. I decided I had had enough of paying too much and got rid of our cable service (I sound like a commercial!). Over the past year our cost has gone up 10% for the exact same service. Over the past five years, the price has gone up almost $80 a month for the exact same service. I got a letter this week saying the price was going up yet another $11 and that was the straw that broke the camel's back, so to speak. 

I was being charged what is essentially another car payment for television. No new channels, no new, upgraded services. Same thing, higher price. It is just stupid. I don't see how cable companies can stay in business.

I kept the high speed internet service and researched for several days before deciding to go with YouTube TV. I get more than 100 channels, including the NFL Network, plus the option to get NFL RedZone during the football season (which I watch religiously September through January), all for 1/3 the price I am paying right now. Why I waited this long is another question. Good lord.

I also went to the optometrist yesterday and have a consult scheduled with an eye surgeon later this month. Last year at this time I was dreading surgery, which I knew was inevitable. Now I am looking forward to it. Time to get this done and get back to 100% (hopefully). 

☆

The Super Bowl will be played a week from tomorrow and below is a terrific example why I will never take my family to the big game. 

A family of four would cost $20,200+ just for tickets in the cheap seats. That's not counting hotel, plane tickets, meals, etc. I would much rather take my family on a cruise around the world for the same price, rather than watch a three hour game. 

The Super Bowl is truly a rich person's event. Most of these cake eaters who go to the Super Bowl haven't watched a single game all season, much less know the players; and they certainly don't know the rules of the game. It is a social function for the rich and famous. A place to be "seen." It is not a fan's game at all. 

That's okay, I've got better seats in my living room. And a private bathroom. And much, much cheaper beer.

It is snowing like crazy right now. Temps are in the mid-20s. I took my son driving to Little Falls and back and he got to experience some dodgy winter driving. It was good practice and he kept it between the ditches. That's all that matters.

Super Bowl set and a new read started

 Everyone is lying.

Super Bowl LIX is set and it is the Chiefs versus Eagles (again). Indeed, we saw this match up just two years ago and it is exactly what most of the country did not want to see. People are sick of the Chiefs' preferential treatment by the NFL and Eagles fans are universally hated by everyone (for good reason, by the way). As a result, fans near and far are claiming they are not going to watch the big game. "Might as well find something else to do, I'm not watching this game." 

Give me a break.

Of course you are going to watch the game! If you are a real football fan like me, you are going to watch the fricking Super Bowl. Full stop. 

Trust me, I hope both teams lose. But I'm still going to watch the game. So are you, Mr. "I Might As Well Find Something Else To Do." Stop lying.

But I do empathize with Bills fans this morning. Like my Vikings, it feels like Bills fans cheer for a cursed franchise. It is crazy how at critical moments, some teams always rise to the challenge and others crap themselves. Both the Vikings and the Bills have a history of incontinence.

Both teams are always pretty good. Each have a long history of winning. Each have even been dominant at times. But they are never good enough. At the same time, they are never bad enough to scrap everything and start over again. They are stuck in football purgatory together.

The Vikings have lost four Super Bowls, although many fans don't even remember the last Super Bowl the Vikings played in (9 January 1977); that includes myself. I was just seven years old. 

The Bills have also lost four Super Bowls, but they did so in spectacular fashion: they are the only team in NFL history to go to four consecutive Super Bowls... and they lost all four. Brutal.

Since 1998, the Vikings were one game away from the Super Bowl four different times... in fact, they were one play away in a couple of games. They are 0-6 in their last six conference championship appearances. If anyone can empathize with Bills fans this morning, it is Vikings fans. We know.

☆

Earlier this week I started reading Crime and Punishment by Dostoyevsky. As crazy as it may sound, I am really enjoying it. I knew nothing about this novel before opening it up, but it has captured my attention.  The story (so far) delves into the disturbed thoughts of a psychopath... and I'd guess the novel was way ahead of its time (it was written in the 1860s).  It is translated from Russian, so the flow can be choppy at times, but the story is quite compelling. I wasn't sure what I'd think of it, but so far so good!

This particular novel is from the library of my wife's grandfather, Dr. H. R. Piltingsrud

We are enjoying a warming trend this week. It is gray and overcast, but it is actually above freezing(!). I took advantage of the warmer (relatively speaking, of course) weather and washed my truck this morning. I thought I would get ahead of the crowd, but there was already a line at 8:00 AM. A dash of patience paid off; the salt and grime is off my truck, so it was worth the wait.

Lastly, I did some deep purging this morning, removing something like 30 shirts from my closet that haven't seen the light of day in years. I found myself immediately saying, "Oh, I shouldn't get rid of this because... because...." 

Just get rid of it. 

My thought process is if I haven't worn it in the last 12 months, I don't need it. Anyway, I have way too much stuff. And now that I have cleaned things out, I feel 10 pounds lighter. It is weird how that works.

22 January 2025

 I'm not sure what to do with this site. Should I make it into a football-only site? Maybe record the daily weather? How about my own personal book club? A personal diary? All of the above? 

I don't know.

I suppose it doesn't really matter. I'm not marketing myself for an audience and if you don't promote a site, you don't get traffic. I'm good with that. This is for my own therapy. 

We all need a release valve. There can be no doubt today's world is far more toxic to one's mental health than it was 30 years ago. It is almost impossible to get away from the slings and arrows of social media (and yes, the irony that I am writing this on a website is not lost on me). I know for a fact my mind was much happier before Facebook, Instagram, etc. I find the less attention I pay to social media and news outlets, the better I am. 

Am I burying my head in the sand? To a degree, yes, I suppose I am. Does it really matter? No, it doesn't. The country will meander off the edge of the earth with or without me. This is not to imply I ignore current events and world news, but I try to tune the bullshit out. And most of it is bullshit.

Speaking of current events...

This year has been a theme of fire and ice so far. Fire on the West Coast: cataclysmic wild fires around Los Angeles earlier in January (they started on the 7th). Dry conditions with 100 mph winds make very favorable conditions for a catastrophe. Ice in the south: Lafayette, Louisiana, has more snow (10+ inches) than Baxter, Minnesota as of January 21. 

Are these cyclical patterns? Climate change? Even though the theory of climate change is based on the course and trends of 175 years worth of data, it doesn't exist if you say it doesn't exist. Draw a line in the sand and anything is political.

As John Lennon once wrote, "Living is easy with eyes closed."

Speaking of weather, we've had brutally cold temperatures here in central Minnesota earlier this week. Monday night was the coldest it has been in the last calendar year. It was -32° F on Monday night/Tuesday morning. It always amazes me that wildlife, like deer and birds, can exist in extreme cold like that, but they do. It is much more pleasant now -- something like 19° F right now. Above zero is always a nice thing. 

It is a little late for resolutions, but my son mentioned something yesterday that I have thought of before and I even made an abortive attempt at trying once: converting all my weather apps to Celsius/metric scale. In his words, "It's just so much easier to understand." (And so it is: 0 is when water freezes, 100 is when water boils. It is simply a paradigm shift to thinking anything from 17 to 29 Celsius is very pleasant. Anything below that is getting chilly and anything above that is getting hot.)

Liberia, Myanmar and the United States are the only three countries in the world that "officially" use the old imperial units. The U.S. isn't exactly a forward-moving, progressive nation, but obviously this is what the majority of Americans desire. Certainly, we are no longer leaders in education (far from it!). We've also fallen behind as the world leader in science and technology. That's not my opinion. That's a fact. Unless you choose to not believe it. Remember, it doesn't exist if you say it doesn't exist. Easy!

I finished a novella yesterday, The Pearl by John Steinbeck. I haven't read anything by Steinbeck that I haven't thoroughly enjoyed. The moral of this quick read was, essentially, "be careful what you wish for."

I think my next book is going to be Crime and Punishment by Dostoyevsky. It is yet another classic I have not yet read.

Happy birthday to my dad, who was born on 21 Jan 1915.

4 January 2025

 Exactly one year ago I published my last post here. I thought it might be rather poetic to post again, 52 weeks later. No, I am not dead. As far as I know I am not even close to being dead yet. But I suppose we are working closer to that goal each day. There is a song about that somewhere.

It is -7 (F) this morning.  A typical Minnesota early January ice box. The sun has yet to rise, the sky a pale, baby blue (it is around 7:30 AM). This time of year is just lonely. Squirrels in abundance at the bird feeder, but that is just about the only sign of life outside.

I took my son driving yesterday around Gull Lake. It was a 63 minute little excursion. He won't be 16 for seven months yet, but it is good to get that winter driving time in while we can. 

I watched the Gophers win the Duke's Mayo Bowl last night, defeating Virginia Tech. Such a prestigious bowl game. Not. The whole damn game a sideshow for some crap mayonnaise ...and the winning head coach gets a mayo "bath" at the end of the game. Somehow, nobody quite sees the joke is on the winning team. Not exactly the pomp and circumstance of the Rose Bowl, right?

While watching the game, I listened to Counting Crows for the first time in years. I am way behind the times and checked out an album called "Somewhere Under Wonderland" which actually came out 11 years ago and I think it is their last full length studio album. Truth is, Adam Duritz is a modern day philosopher and lyrical genius and I've always loved this work. To me, he's a modern day Billy Joel. Duritz's voice can be somewhat an acquired taste at times, in the same vein as Geddy Lee's voice is an acquired taste, but his music and lyrics are second to none.

"If you can't keep your shit together when God is on your side / What chance to you have when He's not around?"

That particular lyric, taken from "Cover Up the Sun," really resonated with me and it seems more relevant today, in the United States, than ever before. Because, yeah, God is supposed to be on our side (in the immortal words of Don Henley, "We pray to our God, who we know is American"), but we definitely do not have our shit together. Not even close.

The wrap this post up, for absolutely no particular reason, I will include a picture of a very large acorn which I found at Wilson's Creek National Battlefield, located just southwest of Springfield, Missouri. Taken late October, 2024.