Dear Friends,
Sometimes the headlines are just ridiculous. I just read that Russia is complaining about Ukraine’s “Aggressive Behavior.” What a joke, right? How can that be? Is there a double standard going on here? Seriously, I don’t get it.
Oh, wait. I do.
Content creating organizations need to do everything they can to get people to look at the ads on their site. If you click, they get paid. Someday this website might be a similar thing. If you click, I get paid. I’d like that, to be honest, but I don’t want that money to come from you, dear reader, directly. I want someone to give me money to advertise.
I’ll sell the shit out of my writing if I can. I already do, as I mentioned yesterday, I was happily reminded of some of the places that used to pay me to write for them. Most of the ones that I used to write for, I probably still could, if I wanted to hustle that much. I probably should start the hustle again soon. Those student loans aren’t going to pay themselves and being a teacher doesn’t really pay well.
I’m not complaining, though. I love what I do. I love that I can supplement my life with being creative, too. I don’t even mind occasionally writing something that will get New Times or someone else some clicks. It’s the name of the game.
*****
I’ll try not to completely spoil the show for you if you haven’t watched it, but if you haven’t seen White Lotus, you might want to skip ahead a bit.
The season finale of White Lotus was pretty solid. I was able to stay up last night and while it wasn’t the outcome I expected, it was satisfying. Especially after I thought it through. I’m guessing many viewers were not super happy with the way things turned out, as was I, but it was clever, well done, and very well acted.
The thing about this season of the show was that all the characters were conning someone or themselves on some level. The season started off with two very strong and entertaining female characters who were trying to pull something over on whoever would let them. Mike White, who wrote the show and oversaw it, is a master at showing us all the different levels of whatever disfunction he is writing about at the time. He’s also got a gift for the subtle. I love that about his work.
He's also not huge on redemption, which is a nice change from a lot of popular shows these days. The characters in White Lotus don’t redeem themselves as much as they let the curtains down and show each other who they really are by the end of the short season. There is no mystery left for us, the viewers, or the people involved, really. It’s all out there.
I dig it. I’m already looking forward to the next season, whenever that may happen.
*****
Speaking of TV, Rhondi has been watching a show called The Peripheral. I have watched a bit of it, and I must admit that I am somewhat interested in it. I watch a lot of shows with her where I sort of pay attention and it leaves me with a bunch of show fragments in my mind. Back in the day, I slept through so many of those true life, murder mystery shows that I started dreaming about Rhondi trying to kill me on occasion.
I’m slowly chipping away at the episodes of TV that I have saved on the DVR. I don’t watch a lot of shows, as I have mentioned, but I tend to save them up and then binge them from time to time when I am not watching Suns games. I’m almost caught up on The Neighborhood, but I have to admit that I am losing interest in it.
I’m losing interest in all the cultural piffle I consume, for the most part. Maybe it’s an age thing. Maybe I am getting ready to burst out and create a bunch of new stuff. I am not sure. I have been playing my guitar.
*****
One of my least favorite things about teaching is decorating the classroom. I hate it. I just don’t see the world that way. I’m not a visual person. I’m a words and music guy. If we needed a class song or a class manifesto, I’m your guy. Creating a visual holiday thing, though, for the 4’x 8’ board outside of my room is the bane of my freaking existence right now. I have to put some examples of my student’s work up there, too, and it makes me want to projectile vomit.
I don’t think it is written anywhere that male teachers have to do all the cutesy bullshit that some of my female compatriots do, but the two dudes on my team have their holiday boards up already. I can probably play the new guy card for a few more days, but I’m not sure it will get me through to January. One can only hope, I guess.
*****
For those of you who like to read about Bailey, I can add today that she has really turned another corner as of late. I think she finally believes she is safe and can just be a dog. Doug pointed this out over the weekend, and I think he is right. She seems to be more and more comfortable with new people, even men, and she’s genuinely happy to see folks who are not part of her daily life. It’s awesome.
The real test, of course, will be in early June when we take off for Maine again. I’m guessing she will poop every day the way things are going. If you’re keeping score, that would be a first. We made it to Missouri last June before the first load was dropped at the world’s largest gift store. This year, I predict a dump in New Mexico or Texas.
On the way back in October, she took a dump in Ohio on the first night, but you already knew that.
See you tomorrow.
I found a bunch of old stickers over the weekend as I was purging in case anyone wants some. I can hook you up. We won't be making any more of these.
I'll take a sticker.