Movies On The Radar For 2026

We find ourselves in the beginning of the second quarter of 2026 and the world has changed.

That said, don’t fret, this little blog is about movies and the state of the movie industry, so politics & religion need not apply. No, I am more concerned with popcorn at the moment. And moments have an explicit expiration date so let’s talk about what is coming out this year to theaters & streaming services.

In days of yore when this blog was but a gleam in my eye movies and films were a big part of it. I’d write about what I was excited to see coming to the theaters or the quality of movies presented in the format of Blu-ray in an ongoing article here on these electronic pages, The Blu-ray Dosier. I did that until the rise of streaming, which put Blu-rays on the endangered list of formats along with laserdiscs, Betamax, VHS tapes, & DVDs – not extinct yet, but the herd has been dramatically thinned. The times have changed.

We live in the era of streaming and the age old battle between movie studios and theaters, while still raging, is looking like the studios will have their products beamed directly to their customers immediately, rather than having to rent their wares at movie houses & theaters from sea to shining sea for the lovers of cinema to discover and spend their money on tickets. Ma & Pa theaters are more endangered than Blu-rays. Theaters be they Ma & Pa or big chain operations such as Regal or AMC, have always been strong armed by the studios. If theaters do not play ball, they do not get to be able to show the summer blockbuster(s) that will let them pay their bills & their employees. There is no “flat fee” and the studios take all the profits, leaving little for the theaters to survive on. It been this way since a (as Google told me) supreme court case in 1948, “United States v. Paramount,” to prevent the monopolization of the film industry. Movie studios have leaned on theaters like loan-sharks collecting gambling debts; again, from Google, “Theaters pay studios a percentage of the box office receipts. This typically ranges from 50% to 70%, depending on the movie and how long it has been in theaters.” This is why a bucket of popcorn and a soda are about $40.00 when you go to a theater. They want to keep the lights on, the toilets flushing, the roof of the movie house on, and the staff paid. Prior to ANY of that happening, the studios take their cut…

...Said this Reddit user 15 years ago.

Time marches on. Theaters will continue to decline due to the film industry increasing its profits by eliminating the middleman. I believe that there will always be a place for a communal theatrical experience, but the delivery method of film has shifted and it is not going back.

All that said, what will get me away from this keyboard and into a reclining theater seat from now until the end of 2026? Well, these offerings will! …Also, it should be known, some of the films I am about to list are going directly to stream. Netflix was poised exactly where they needed to be when the zeitgeist changed and out of all the corporate studios, they are in the best position, at present, to offer a glimpse at where the industry is heading in the future. …But that is a story for another time.

Here is what I’m excited about now…

“Remarkably Bright Creatures,” coming to Netflix on May 8^th. I loved the book; I think I’ll love the movie. The cast is spot on with Sally Field, Lewis Pullman, Colm Meaney, with Alfred Molina as the voice of Marcellus. This will have a lot of heart.

“Ladies First,” coming to Netflix on May 22. It is with Rosamund Pike & Sacha Baron Cohen in the leads. The manosphere gets the multiverse treatment in this one. Again, excellent casting.

“The Mandalorian & Grogu,” in theaters May 22. I will love this movie. I’m a fan of the TV series. Although, the marketing for this movie has been a bit lack-luster. Perhaps Disney is depending on fans like me to show up and not worrying about a TV show making the leap to the big screen? I don’t know. I do know that a Star Wars movie should have the words, “Star Wars” in the title. This would give a nice line of demarcation between streaming on Disney + and going to the theater. But who am I? Just a fan who is looking forward to what Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni have in store for Din Djarin and his adopted son.

“Disclosure Day,” in theaters June 12. Steven Spielberg is back and I’m here for it! Spielberg and aliens have a long and glorious history, and I am jazzed to see what is up his sleeve for this one.

“Toy Story 5,” in theaters June 19^th. McKenna Harris & Andrew Stanton direct this latest offering from Pixar/Disney. When I first heard that a fifth movie was in the works, I asked myself the question, “Why?” I mean, after all, the fourth one spilt up the gang, and I thought that they had painted themselves into a corner with the story. It appears that I was wrong. Woody & Buzz are reuniting to fight their biggest villain yet – electronic devices that are replacing toys. One can never count Pixar out. They will, routinely, punch you in the heart. This will be no exception.

“Supergirl,” in theaters June 26. Milly Alcock is Kara Zor-El, Kal’s cousin. This tale may very well have shades of John Wick to it. Think post-traumatic stress meets the straw that breaks the camel’s back, or rather, you never should have hurt Krypto. Lobo, played by the BEST choice for the role ever, Jason Momoa is coming to James Gunn’s DC universe, too! Yes. I will buy a ticket for this.

“The Odyssey,” in theaters July 17^th. Christopher Noland does Homer. Matt Damon is Odysseus. Noland knows how to tell a story and this epic is in very good hands.

“Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” is coming to theaters on July 31^st. Say what you will about MARVEL & superhero movies – this one I care about. A street-level Spider-Man with street-level peers (I’m looking at you Frank Castle/Punisher and, I’m calling it right now, DAREDEVIL). And villains, including the Hand and, I’m calling it right now, JEAN GREY. Yes my fellow true believers, the X-Men are coming to the MARVEL movie universe. Oh, yes. I will see this one before some shlub on social media ruins all the twists & comic history is spoiled. Another friendly neighborhood Spider-Man movie? Oh, yes. I’m in.

“The End of Oak Street,” in theaters August 14^th. Dollars to donuts, and I could be wrong here, but I’m thinking this is another back-door movie into the Cloverfield universe originated by J.J. Abrams. Anne Hathaway & Ewan McGregor are parents of a family that is experiencing what happens when one universe invades another. Are Kaiju far behind? I’m looking forward to finding out.

“The Dog Stars,” coming to theaters August 28^th. Ridley Scott is at the helm of this one inspired by Peter Heller’s book of the same name. A post-apocalyptic pilot and his dog go searching for what’s left of humanity and hope, along the way. I am a sucker for a good speculative tale, and this one has some wonderful possibilities. I have not yet read the book but is now on my radar.

“Avengers: Doomsday,” in theaters sometime in November or December. The Russo Brothers, Anthony & Joe are back with all their friends from MARVEL’s ever-expanding stable of characters. Again, say what you will of tales of gods and men, history & legend are loaded with ‘em. These superhero tales are our modern takes on a classic genre. It is all cyclical. Stories are told and then they are told again, over and over, since the dawn of man, which pretty much started with telling stories. …Anyway, as for this film in particular, has Doctor Doom been pulling the strings in the universe the whole time (the beginning of the MARVEL U in “Iron Man”)? Who are the Fantastic Four? And why are all these mutants suddenly popping up all over the place? How does the old guard usher in the new? Find out in theaters this December. I’m here for it all. …Also, Kevin Feige, the president of MARVEL Studios, knows & loves what he is doing. Doomsday will set the stage for Secret Wars and, I believe, the movies in-between them will bring the X-Men to prominence. As I have mentioned, I’m here for it all.

“DUNE: Part Three,” in theaters December 18^th. Denis Villeneuve’s third and final installment of his DUNE trilogy. Villeneuve has done a masterful job of bringing Frank Herbert’s six book epic to the screen. The first two films have been a wonder to behold on the big screen – especially if you have read the books. DUNE asks questions far more reaching than a movie with spaceships & explosions usually asks. Politics, religion, environmentalism are all themes deeply rooted in the world of Arrakis. I’m very curious as to how he joins the next few books in the series, “DUNE Messiah” and “Children of DUNE.” I’ll be there opening night to find out.

“Werwulf,” in theaters December 25^th. Robert Eggers gives the world a pagan, folklore laden, werewolf story just in time for Christmas! Eggers knows what he is doing. He pulls on stories and tales that reach down to that part in all of us that is still afraid of the dark. He is the man who brought us, “The VVITCH,” “The Lighthouse,” and “Nosferatu,” so his storytelling is not to be missed. So, once you’ve opened your packages and if you’ve had a bit too much tinsel, turkey, & fruitcake, perhaps a trip to the movies for something disturbingly horrific is just what you’ll need.

These are what I’m looking forward to seeing. I’m sure that there are some great stories that I have missed. If so, let me know for I am a humble word-slinger bobbing as a cork in the internet seas.

Start saving your nickels (since they don’t make pennies anymore), you’re gonna want some popcorn. Buttered.

See you at the movies.

Ms. Plath, I Beg Forgivness

"What is a book? A mirrored pool of thoughts, ideals so often better left unsaid, so often better left with the soft outline of a dream."

For the last twenty years or so I have falsely given credit of this quote to Ian Fleming. I was wrong. The quote is from the Pulitzer Prize winning poet, Sylvia Plath.

I am currently working on a project that includes sound and vision and stories. And the quote at the heading of this entry has always resonated with me. For one reason or another, Ian Fleming became, in my mind, the originator and I have always given him the credit. I have done searches for it before to confirm just who said it, but all of these searches came back fruitless, until tonight/this morning when Google revealed to me that the quote appears, "in her personal journals, specifically in a letter written to a friend, Eddie Cohen, around September 1950. At the time, Plath was just about to start her studies at Smith College."

And now credit can be given to where credit is due.

Forgive me, Ms. Plath. Your ethereal yet, 'to the heart of the matter' prose continue to captivate me. I beg your forgiveness.

I will do better in the future.

Rest well.

Sincerely, 

Evil Chicken   

To War or Not to War?

I wasn’t alive during the Cuban Missile Crisis, so I missed the panic & anxiety of those years gave the world. I did get a chance to participate in fallout-drills in elementary school, though, since the lurking threat of nuclear war was still in the back of people’s skulls, an unconscious yet ever-present reminder that this brave new world that we built for ourselves could, if mad men had their way, be the keys to its destruction. The treat of global thermal nuclear war was there but it was a specter that was not as white hot as it was during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

No, I grew up during the Cold War. There was a lot of sabers rattling between the United States and The Soviet Union until the Berlin Wall came down and the Soviet Union dissolved. The threat of a nuclear war became a distant whisper. It became something that was a hook to hang the plot of more than a few science fiction movies from as opposed to a constant threat at the forefront of the world’s collective mind. Granted, I was a kid but the worry that mad men would turn the keys and press the button to launch their missiles, was relegated to James Bond & Mad Max movies.

And then came Trump.

2016 rolled around and suddenly the idea of nuclear war was no longer some abstract construct. And it's this guy's finger on the button. I am not going to recount the crimes that he has accumulated - the atrocities committed, the parade of ass-kissing swine in his cabinet, the spineless ‘representatives’ we have in congress. No, this is all a matter of public record. We all have the receipts. It has become exhausting trying to measure how low Trump, the monsters who work for him, or those who anoint him will go. There is NO bottom. So, I won’t. It wouldn’t matter anyway, save to future historians sifting through our ashes. I’ll just put this quote out there…

I have said & written variations of similar ideas ever since I started journaling since 2016. I started journaling when I thought it would be good to have a primary source – an everyday man’s view of the history (COVID at the time) that was unfolding all around us. I originally started writing it to document the event. I never expected it to show our true face. I never expected to dive headfirst into politics & religion but dive I did.

“I used to think so much better of us, I know better now,” has become a recurring theme throughout the journal’s pages. I thought that I would be done in six to eight months. I was wrong. Twelve volumes later ending a few months after the events of January 6^th, 2021, when our Capitol was attacked by a mob of domestic terrorists, believing a lie told by Donald Trump about who won the election. These insurrectionists were quite probably hired as ICE agents who serve as Donald's Gestapo and secret police force.   

“I never knew there were so many evil people living among us.”

Hate brewed under the surface for the tenure of Joe Biden’s presidency – NOT from Biden, but from Trump & his supporters from sea to shining sea. Again, we have these receipts. The truth may not matter when it comes to White House press releases, but it matters in other places, including my humble journal, which I picked up again after receiving a diagnosis. The long and the short of it is that I have been watching, documenting and I know I’m not alone.

But then Trump was elected back to the office that he never should have been in possession of. It was not a sweep; it was just enough to cross the finish line. Why? Perhaps because Kamala Harris was a woman, perhaps because she was black, perhaps because we lost the ability to critically think along the way, perhaps hatred & bigotry are all the rage, perhaps because the Trump cult is bat-shit crazy? Any or all of these are possible factors. Another sad issue is that a lot of voters just stayed home. This is unacceptable in a functioning representative democracy for by not voting you do not use the only voice you have in who leads the affairs of your local municipalities, your counties, your states, and your country. When you don’t show up, unthinkable things can happen.

And, rest assured, unthinkable things are happening RIGHT NOW. 

Trump started a war with Iran to distract from the Epstein List. People are dying because he is a kiddie-fiddler, a pedophile. He didn't want people to know this but much like five gallons of sewage in a one gallon bag, the truth is out. This war costs a BILLION dollars a day. This afternoon he held a press conference and said, “A whole civilization will die tonight,” referring to the bombing that he is about to start at 8:00 PM*. Yes, that's right, he is ready to commit genocide to hide the fact that he likes to sleep with children. 

A man devoid of character & decency, the anti-Christ has started this utterly needless, expensive (both monetarily and with the butcher's bill), the War of Deflection from the Epstein List is set to begin in earnest at 8:00 PM* tonight. Now, we all know – both supporters & detractors – what Trump says, the words coming out of his mouth, do not matter. He lies. Constantly. Perhaps the TACO (Trump Always Chickens Out) effect will kick in, I don't know. I do know that if we go to war the bodies that they send back, many of them will belong to families who voted for Trump.

“So much winning.”

It's difficult to watch. Most of the American public wants NOTHING to do with war with Iran or ANY war in the Middle East. Those of us without our heads up our assess get to watch the events of history march by, completely powerless to do anything about it. We can peacefully protest, we can write our representatives, we can sign petitions, we can write strongly worded letters & emails to the press (which is all owned by billionaires who only wish to increase their bottom lines), we can leave messages for our senators & congresspeople, we can talk to our neighbors who are willing to talk but it feels like nothing matters. Unfortunately, history is rife with examples of those in power going not only against the will of the people but also twisting the narrative to fit their own morally bankrupt actions & crimes against humanity, and those who support them. 

The possibility of a boots on the ground war is getting more footing. The specter of global thermal nuclear war is not off the table either. To war or not to war? That is the question. Most of the citizens of these United States - and the world, for that matter - do not want such a needless conflict, started by a mad man who only wants to distract from his own crimes. And the sick rub of it is that there is nothing we can do about this. Our representatives continue to fail us - especially the republican side of the aisle where the want for power & influence is all that matters. We are so far off course. One can only hope that history will forgive us. And at the end of the day all we - the commons who make up our citizenry - can do is take stock in the words of Alexandre Dumas when he wrote, "Until the day God will deign to reveal the future to man, all human wisdom is contained in these two words - 'Wait and Hope'".

Wait & hope...

Perhaps we won't have to wait too long and hope that the 25th amendment will be invoked. 

*  A few hours before the deadline Trump moved his threat of genocide for a time in the future. The war with Iran is off for now, at least that’s what he said but we all know what that is worth. …Thankfully, it is TACO Tuesday and cooler heads have prevailed for now. Stay tuned for the next twist in the fabric of reality.

Author's note. This blog was written on 4/7/2026 and published in the early morning of 4/8/2026.

Paramount Drops Star Trek: Starfleet Academy

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy has been cancelled after only two seasons. Starfleet Academy was a little beacon of hope for the future that has been snuffed out by the merger of Paramount Skydance & Warner Bros. Sure, there was a cowardly upswing of toxicity with bot attacks and review bombings towards the show, but I’d bet a cargo holds worth of gold-pressed latinum that pleasing the monsters who will give the yay or nay to the merger is at the core of this warp-core breach.

It does not bode well for the future on several levels; for Star Trek of course and, more directly, for accessibility to information that isn’t from the unofficial state-run ‘Department of Truth,” that this merger will usher in. "1984" was not supposed to be a user manual, yet here we are. The Paramount/Warner merger is a blow to the First Amendment, to Journalism, and to any voice that does not genuflect to the powers that be and the idiocy that they bring in their wake. I did a quick Google search and the ACLU from Arizona encapsulates this point succinctly…

“Freedom of the press, protected by the First Amendment in the U.S. Constitution, ensures that media can report, publish, and disseminate information without government censorship or intimidation. It is considered a cornerstone of democracy, essential for holding officials accountable and informing the public. Key principles include the prohibition of prior restraint and the right to investigate government actions.”

Journalism and shows like Star Trek & The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (also owned by Paramount who owns CBS) are in the process of being dismantled. Their crime? Showing and telling truth to power. When a Paramount falls in line with the powers that be they sacrifice the truth for the favor of an emperor who is wearing no clothes. A false king whose insanity & greed has brought us to war and sacrificed any good standing we had at one time not all that long ago with the entire world.

“But the new Star Trek is woke!”

Stop. The “woke” gripe against any Star Trek series holds no water. If you think #StarTrek is “woke” then you have watched Star Trek, but you have never really seen it. No, the simple beauty of Star Trek isn’t the technology or the science, it is in the idea that we, humanity, learn to live together and move forward together into that undiscovered country, the future. There is a well known quote about Star Trek from Gene Roddenberry…

“Star Trek was an attempt to say that humanity will reach maturity and wisdom on the day that it begins not just to tolerate but take a special delight in differences in ideas and differences in life forms. If we cannot learn to actually enjoy those small differences, to take a positive delight in those small differences between our own kind, here on this planet, then we do not deserve to go out into space and meet the diversity that is almost certainly out there.”

I read my daughter that quote and, heartbreakingly, she said, “We do not deserve the stars.”

So, why bring the axe down now? Starfleet Academy was smartly written. They told a full story in one season’s time. This story must have ruffled feathers due to the narrative of the battle of ideologies between Nahla Ake (Holly Hunter) & Nus Braka (Paul Giamatti). Ake, the voice of reason & Braka, the voice of chaos. Braka wants to destroy the Federation. He’s a loud, obnoxious, man-child, lying, bullying, tyrant of a leader who through manipulation & violence gains power. In the end he makes his case as to why he should be the leader of the new galactic order & destroy the Federation.

Ake using facts proves that Braka is wrong & makes the case for facing the future without fear or terror to worlds of beings. To the various space-faring races in attendance & to the galaxy, who is watching the proceedings, Ake says in her closing argument, “Who do you want to go into the future with?”

Braka & Ake

As a sixty year old franchise, Star Trek has always used allegory to tell stories about issues of the day that historically effect us all. Paramount cancelled Star Trek for being Star Trek. And, in all reality, this is what cancelled Star Trek. Paramount wants to please Trump’s administration so that their merger with Warner Bros. goes through, make them nearly a monopoly to shape the message of what people read, hear, & see. They would be the mega-corporation condoned voice of the state. In the show the galaxy sides with Ake, in reality, Paramount sided with Braka – a Trump proxy, all for greed & power.

It does not bode well for the future of Star Trek, at least with its present masters at the helm. The “Star Trek: Year One” concept, which would have been a wonderful pickup from “Strange New Worlds” would have been worth seeing come to fruition since we are owed two more years on that initial five-year mission. Star Trek Legacy, and any other potential projects including movies or anything else franchise related will, much like Kahn’s crew on the Botany Bay, be put into stasis.   

When Star Trek is gone from Paramount Plus, I will not be far behind. I will drop it like an overheating phaser. They have proven to be poor stewards of what they had and now that I see what they want to usher in to the world… well, no thanks. I’ll put my $15.00 a month towards other things. I encourage you to do the same. The only thing corporations care about are dollars. I’m almost done giving them any more of mine. You see, I know who I want to go into the future with and that has nothing to do with the chaos that the current administration and their toadies at Paramount are willing to sow.

To the cast & crew of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. Thank you for carrying the torch of Star Trek further. You have much to be proud of. I am looking forward to season two and know that your contribution to the narrative of Star Trek – of the future, has been indispensable. One day, I firmly believe, that we – humanity, will be worthy the stars. You have helped light the way and I am grateful. 

LLAP

Poetic Dissection of Sometimes a Wild God

Whilst exploring the electric seas of the interwebs I came across a poem that I had never read before called, "Sometimes a Wild God," by Tom Hirons. 

I read it.

Then I read it again. 

It resonated with me. So, before I color your view of it, I believe it only fair that you have a chance to come to your own conclusions. The poem, read by it's author, Tom Hirons with illustrations by Rima Stains, can be found here: Sometimes a Wild God. 

Now, while you consider this piece please allow me to prattle on for a moment about art.

All art is subjective and a delicate dance between the creator and, for lack of a better word, the consumer. I use the word consumer but I do not mean monetarily, I mean that a piece or work has been discovered, used, and/or experienced. Art is that magical space where these two forces meet - creators and consumers. And this is where magic becomes real. No matter what the art form, it takes two to tango. Art tells us a story and stories connect us to a greater narrative than ourselves. 

As consumers we are all at different places in our journeys and subject to the relentless nature of time. These factors influence the effect that art has on us at different time in our lives. Case in point, we could read a book when we are young and then read that same book ten years later and, due to maturity & life experiences, the book has different things to say to us. Things that we could not appreciate ten years ago. The same shift will happen ten years from now when we read that very same book. There are lessons to be learned - wisdom to be gleaned when we revisit art. That magic place, that dance between creator & consumer, can take on an unexpected depth over the course of years.

The author, the painter, the sculptor, the poet, the filmmaker, the musician, the vlogger, the creator brings it into the world, hones it by sanding down the edges, and eventually, releases it into the wild where it finds or does not find it's audience or those who will consume it. If it is discovered the dance can commence and the magic happens.

All that said, I find this poem magical. For me it speaks of the past and how we deal with things that are too much to process. The narrator is dealing with something from his past either some deep regret that he has done or some trauma laced abuse that was done to him. This is the Wild God. The Wild God is not in itself a force for evil - it is only a specter that the narrator has buried deep from himself and the world. He hasn't told his wife. The Wild God gets into the narrator's house even though he rejects him and while he is there the narrator avoids eye contact, gives him the "worst of his food," and ultimately pours the Wild God and himself a glass of whiskey - in effect drinking two glasses for himself all to push the Wild God away, to bury him again. The Wild God is a force of nature that wants the narrator to grow. "Why did you leave me?" the god asks. The answer is that the narrator does not want to face his own past. He would rather 'move on' with his life, but the Wild God is persistent and visits him when he least expects it. The narrator refers to scores of undead soldiers emerging from their tombs to fight the Wild God and these soldiers could easily be other defense mechanisms - other embattlements that he has put in place to protect himself from the past - from the Wild God. The psychological factor of the abuse that the narrator has suffered rings fresh with the final line of the poem, "His voice makes vinegar from wine and brings the dead to life." This shows that the narrator lives with his abuse at all times and the lengths he has gone to distance himself from it. Unfortunately for him, the trauma poisons his present tense and moments that he finds respite or joy are hijacked as his wine turns to vinegar at the memory of it all. And, in that moment the authors of said abuse, of said trauma, may even be dead now but his reluctance and/or inability to deal with his past ensures that they still live. 

We all have our own Wild God. Perhaps it is trauma done to us or trauma that we have done to others. Coming to terms with the past is a deeply personal thing. I heard a wise man once say, "Love everyone. Forgive everyone. Especially yourself." Forgiveness can be acknowledgment of horror visited upon oneself, an opportunity for us to make peace with the past - not to pretend that all is well or to let the purveyors of said horrors off the hook, but to get oneself off the hook. A moment in time to say it was a moment in time and I will not let it define me. A moment to stop the past from defining ones future.

I found "Sometimes a Wild God' a thoughtful work. I hope you did too. I hope it moved you and I hope that you have peace. I encourage you to look further into Tom Hirons and Rima Staines. Two interesting artists that are most certainly worth your time to investigate in depth.

Until next time, Gentle Reader, I bid you adieu. 

Go Outside & Play

“Time, time, time. …See what’s become of me when I looked around for my possibilities?” – Paul Simon

OH, Chicken Scratch… Please forgive me. I have neglected you. You became a place for me to briefly check in and scream at injustices that weren’t fit for polite company. I stepped away, but it certainly wasn’t because I’ve stopped writing. No, perish the thought. I have enough to fill a book on COVID and a book on cancer alone! No. I believe that my lack of participation here is that my attentions have been diverted due to my participation in social media. Due to the good and the bad that such participations have wrought. I saw a bright, shiny thing and I ran after it. I’m still running for it… No, that’s not accurate; it’s more akin to a light jog or a casual walk these days.

I would like to make amends. I look at this blog sheepishly. It is dated and of a different time. The majority of Chicken Scratch has not aged well. Case in point, one of my favorite segments, the Blue-ray Dossier, was made completely obsolete with the advent of streaming which took over several years ago. I have not paid attention to Chicken Scratch and instead I have invested time and energy into other electronic distractions. I held out a long-time concerning politics and religion but circumstances since 2016 have made such banality an impossible task – especially with the advent of social media and all of it’s pomp & circumstance.

So, what does one do? I mean, the genie is out of the bottle. There is no going back, right? The fact is we love our conveniences and the things that please us. There are no atlases or maps in my vehicle any longer because I use Google Maps and all the give and take that comes with it. Sure, I can get from point A to point B more efficiently, free from tolls & traffic, but I am not the only one who is concerned with my trip to point B. Nope, moment by moment my phone is being monitored. Oh, yours it to and, deep down, I believe we know this. The fact of the matter is, we don’t care anymore. This isn’t tin-foil hat territory any longer. It hasn’t been for quite some time. Have you ever had a brief conversation with someone within earshot of your TV or cell phone only to discover that the next time you’re on Facebook advertisers are actively trying to sell you the content of your conversation back to you – be it goods, services, or ideologies both political & religious?

So, what can be done? What is a healthy balance between using technology responsibly and living in an off-grid cave in the woods? I believe we need to rethink how we approach social media. We need to realize that there is no such thing as anonymity online any longer and that words still mean things (in some quarters). Social media should not be your journal or diary. You can use it as such but just understand that each of your keystrokes are being recorded somewhere, your opinions are being documented, your likes & dislikes are being honed to sell you something (at best) or to oppress you (at worst). Money & manipulation are the names of the game. If we can accept that premise, then we can start to take back a little bit or ourselves and not completely surrender to the algorithm. Think before you type. Pretend that your keyboard isn’t anonymous – like you are having a conversation in public. If you can do that, you’re ahead of the game.

Results may vary and I am still very much a work in progress, but I find that I am happier without corporate media’s 24/7 controlled ‘news’ cycle, doomscrolling, and the ideological battles that keyboard warriors – both worthy & unworthy alike wage their battles. The time one spends on social media is YOUR time. If you wish to fill it with rage & frustration, by all means, read and respond to the comments section. No thanks. The algorithm has painted us all into where the data that AI has collected says we should be. Then there are the soulless Bots employed by would-be oppressors to contend with, as well. No, you can keep your comments section. There’s a 50/50 chance you’re not unloading on a human (rational or otherwise) anyway. I truly feel that we need a mass movement of re-humanization. A moment of self-reflection where we evaluate our place in the digital landscape. Does the time you spend on social media bring you joy? If not, perhaps it’s time to step away from the keyboard for a spell.

Read a book.

Take a walk.

Learn how to cook.

Volunteer somewhere.

Whatever you choose to do to keep yourself sane, do that instead. I am old enough to remember a time before data aggregation when the net was open and free. In days of yore the BBS boards gave way to America Online, which yielded to My Space, which in turn yielded to Facebook and then Twitter. Everything was so bright and shiny and there was a bit of a learning curve. The early days of Facebook were the salad years of social media. Then came the data aggregation companies who became brokers of personal information around the globe. But as is the case with many advancements our technology has far outpaced our ability to accurately assess its true price – what it does to us both psychologically & sociologically. We, the end users of any social media platform, are the commodity. The price of participating is revealing everything about yourself to the algorithm.

Back in the early days it was a fun way to connect with people over the internet. Back from kindergarten playground chums to souls you have never physically met from around the world, a connection was being made. Good times. Then the learning curve flattened out, and the electronic population of social media quadrupled. Advertisers, corporations, municipalities, & governments (local, national, & international) took notice of how people, for a shot of dopamine, would reveal themselves to the world. The algorithm doesn’t simply suggest advertisers to you anymore, now it reports back to whomever wants to pay the price for your information – and this whomever was never your friend. As a matter of fact, this whomever is now monitoring you for how you think, behave, believe and the tools we thought were toys are now the chains that are being held by those who desperately wish to exploit and oppress and rule over you. Yes, your algorithm has been weaponized against us and will continue to be if we do not start to control ourselves and what we project into the electronic world for everything you do on your phone or on your laptop is monitored and scrutinized by people who wish to manipulate or control you just to sell you something - either material goods or services or agendas and ideologies.

Way back in 2013 I wrote a blog, Whistleblowers & the Prophesies of the Dark Knight. I was proud of this one. I see how naive it was now. Our ability as a species to properly keep pace with the emerging technology verses our rate of absorption at the cost of said technology is a problem. That blog entry has not stood the test of time due to the fact that mass surveillance is no longer behind closed doors but is before your screen be it on your phone, laptop, or TV as soon as you hit that “I Agree” button when you sign up anything you wish to do on the computer. It does not take a team of data aggregators to see that your electronic footprint, stretching as far back as possible, can and will be used against you. Your thoughts have been weaponized - yes, even the half-baked ones that you typed into a terminal back in 2013.

"So, what do I do?"

Be discerning. Practice the words you tell others you believe - you know the ones, "Do unto others as you would have done unto you." Tell the truth. Try to be on the right side of history and when the political nightmares and abuses you see in the news come crashing through your door to steal you away as you have seen others stolen away you can stand in the light of the truth. Brutality and dominion have always existed but so have kindness and freedom. The pendulum swings eternally. So, when the weight of world's ills is pressing down upon you from everything that your algorithm belches onto your social media feed what can you do? 

If all else fails, block 'em. It's your time, after all. It doesn't have to be personal, perhaps you don't want a steady diet of "Factor X" on your feed. Take it back. Try to remember that you originally came to social media for fun and if your feed on any platform - Facebook, X, Bluesky, Instagram, WHATEVER begins to resemble a cavalcade conspiracies, lies, & overt political manipulation, drop it like it's hot. I have had to do so. Some cases I have had pangs of regret but most of the time it has been for the absolute best. Social media has, after all, provided ample opportunity for people to share their thoughts, feelings, & beliefs and if you are bringing nothing but hatred, lies, & racism to my feed - you've got to go. For the most part I came to social media for positive, progressive, & pleasant intentions. It's my time and it is precious. If you are not a monster we can be acquaintances or friends in real life, but if your online presence clashes with the intentions of which I came to social media for originally (or if you are a monster), then you can do so on your own feed without me.

Stand up for kindness and freedom and step away from the keyboard.

Read a book.

Take a walk.

Learn how to cook.

Volunteer somewhere.

Whatever helps in tapping down the insanities all around us. Evil men will do what evil men do. They have better tools these days, but so do we. Take back those pieces of yourself that have not already been categorized and cataloged. Write your own narrative and do not be manipulated into serving the algorithm and having it think for you. The sad truth is that people make money that can be traded for power when our information is used against us and the human animal does not always listen to the brighter angels of our nature.

Good luck, gentle reader. We are all works in progress. While I am attempting to re-humanize I am on social media less. 

I am happier for it. 

Perhaps you would be too.

 

Fixed It

I saw someone on Facebook posted this abomination. 

I fixed it. It now reads...

Dear God, this man. 

He's an evil we can't even imagine. 

Keep us safe from those who worship him. 

Amen!

 

Kris Kristofferson

Kris Kristofferson passed on September 28, 2024. He was a musician, actor, songwriter. His authenticity and honesty brought a sense of integrity to the varied creative projects he chose. 

I love the lyrics of "Pilgrim's Progress." Here they are, just as Mr. Kristofferson wrote them...

Pilgrim’s Progress by Kris Kristofferson

Am I young enough to believe in revolution
Am I strong enough to get down on my knees and pray
Am I high enough on the chain of evolution
To respect myself, and my brother and my sister
And perfect myself in my own peculiar way

I get lazy, and forget my obligations
I'd go crazy, if I paid attention all the time
And I want justice, but I'll settle for some mercy
On this Holy Road through the Universal Mind

Am I young enough to believe in revolution
Am I strong enough to get down on my knees and pray
Am I high enough on the chain of evolution
To respect myself, and my brother and my sister
And perfect myself in my own peculiar way

I got lucky, I got everything I wanted
I got happy, there wasn't nothing else to do
And I'd be crazy not to wonder if I'm worthy
Of the part I play in this dream that's coming true

Am I young enough to believe in revolution
Am I strong enough to get down on my knees and pray
Am I high enough on the chain of evolution
To respect myself, and my brother and my sister
And perfect myself in my own peculiar way

Thank you for the lyrics, music, and stories, Mr. Kristofferson.

Long may you ride.

...Is This Thing On?

Why, yes. I think the lights are still on, here. "Blogging" has taken some hits due to the advent of social media and the open sharing of ideas on all of the various platforms. But, those platforms are particularly rancid and venomous.  Social media was fun and informative. It's been hijacked by the old devil itself - the REAL devil, human nature. 

Yeah, we're pretty awful. That awfulness is easily exacerbated by sitting in front of an anonymous keyboard and filling one's mind with only opinions that cater to your world view.

"It is what it is," said Kurt Vonnegut.

Anyway, I noticed this very evening, that it had been over a YEAR since I posted anything here. Forgive me, Gentle Reader. I heeded that siren call of social media, of Facebook, Twitter (now know as, "X" for some selfish reasons unbeknownst to me), and YouTube - for me, the 'big three'.  I've done my 'blogging' there, instead of here.  

Forgive me, 'Chicken Scratch'. I never meant to be such a neglectful blogger. The winds of the zeitgeist blew and I was swept away by their velocity.

It is what it is.

Winds change, however. Perhaps they will blow me back one day?

 One never knows.  

Barry Manilow - Hits 2022 Tour, Philadelphia

And so, it came to pass, 8/14/2022… 

My wife and I are both longtime fans of Barry Manilow. We had his LPs growing up – as a matter of fact, the first album I ever bought was a Barry Manilow album, One Voice. A few months back I was able to procure two tickets (section 102, seats 7 & 8) to see Barry in Philadelphia. The day came and we started to balk. We did some hemming and hawing, but we went to see Barry Manilow on 8/14/22 for the Manilow: Hits 2022 tour. The hemming and hawing were not because we don’t love him or his music, no; we were concerned over the ravages of time. We did not want to behold a cherished singer from both our pasts not be able to do what he did so well – sing the truth from his heart. It would have been a stark reminder of the toll the passage takes – of what was and is now diminished or even gone.

Well, that is not living in the moment, is it? No. We are given only so many of them and we must make them count for something while we are here. We went and beheld a 79-year-old Barry Manilow knock us dead. What a GREAT SHOW! There he stood on stage at the Wells Fargo Center in all of his modest glory performing the songs that we know so well, and he was so good. Hearing those songs, sung by Barry, and sung so wonderfully, defied time. His performance declared, we are still here and we have a voice. So use that voice. He celebrated all the moments from the 70’s to now and we celebrated them along with him.

Here is the set list…

1. It’s a Miracle
2. Can’t Smile Without You
3. Looks Like We Made It
4. Brooklyn Blues (w/ Dave Koz – who opened the show)
5. This One’s for You
6. Daybreak
7. Even Now
8. The Old Songs / Ships / Ready to Take a Chance Again
9. Tryin’ to Get the Feeling Again
10. Weekend in New England
11. Let’s Hang On
12. All the Time
13. Could it Be Magic
14. I Made It Through the Rain
15. Mandy / Could It Be Magic
16. I Write the Songs
Encore:
17. Copacabana
18. It’s a Miracle (Reprise)
Encore 2:
19. Old Friends
20. Once Before I Go

I’ve seen a few shows in my time but this one touched me. There were moments that brought tears to my eyes. I’m a softy and the tides of time and of nostalgia rose over their banks. He told a story of his grandfather recognizing that a 4-year-old Barry was musically inclined taking him to Brooklyn every Saturday to record his voice in a sound booth designed to cut records that could be taken home to play. There were pictures and samples from one of the actual recordings. He told of how years later – the first time that he played Carnegie Hall, how his grandfather led the standing ovation when he came on stage and how he kept standing and clapping when everyone else started to sit down. He said, “I think of him every single time I play…” and then he started This One’s for You. There were tears.

With, Could It Be Magic he did a duet with himself from 1974 via archive footage. Yes, it was magical.

Within this bag is glow stick that was handed out to everyone upon entry, one of the streamers that blew out into the audience at the end of the show, and, of course, this write up.

Thank you for defying time and reminding us that we are still here, we must appreciate the moments we have, and that we are – still after all these years able to hear that one voice singing in the darkness.

For a life’s worth of memories, songs, and feelings, thank you, Mr. Manilow. 

Rehumanize Yourself

We are an angry nation.

Why is this so?

One could write several doctoral dissertations on the topic of how humanity coped or did not cope during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Most recently, I am reminded of a tweet that I saw and saved for posterity a few days ago on 8/26. Josh Moon said…

“One thing that about this pandemic that I’ll remember forever is the way many people got irrationally angry at people who were trying to help them. Angry at scientists. Angry at teachers. Angry at doctors. Angry at anyone who told them helpful info they didn’t want to hear.”

He is not wrong. This underlying anger, fueled by fear and hate, serves the darkest angles of our natures. The anger, fear, and hatred are real. These emotions need to be acknowledged. Emotions are a natural, human response; we all have them. It is, however, what we do with them that defines us. Is our reason swept away, robbed from us by serving some mob mentality? Or do we ask ourselves the deceptively simple question, “Why?” We, as thinking, rational human beings must search ourselves and ask the hard questions, why am I angry? Why does what I do not understand frighten me? Why do I hate?

If we can examine ourselves, if we can be honest with ourselves, and if we can reason for ourselves, then we can channel these negative emotional responses into something better – something positive. This takes an act of will, an act of humanity on the part of each of us. Do we join the unthinking mob, or do we join humanity and ask ourselves the hard question of “Why?”

We need a mass re-humanization, sooner rather than later. As human beings, we have the capacity to be so much more than what we are. The capacity to look beyond ourselves, beyond our own needs & desires – to look and see how we can lift others up instead of tearing them down, to help instead of hinder, to do what is right for everyone and not simply for ourselves.

Here, in the United States, our humanity has been compromised by politics. The simple act of wearing a mask and getting a vaccination to help stop a world-wide pandemic that has claimed over 4.5 million lives – 637,280 of them right here in the United States – is questioned by those who have chosen the whims of the mob over betterment of humanity.

Those who cry, “My body, my choice!” I hope you remember that phrase when it doesn’t only apply to your own situation – your own ‘needs’. I’ve seen some ugliness from people who have only been thinking of themselves for the last year and a half – we all have. Today, you could make that choice to rejoin humanity and do what is best for all, instead of acting or not acting out of selfishness due to anger, fear, and hate.  The excuses only go so far - the vast majority of them have no footing in reason.

It is past time to grow up.

It is not a political issue. It is a public health issue.

The Delta variant is filling hospital beds, taking such beds away from others who need them. Vaccinating would ease this pressure. It would be good for you, good for them, good for everyone. The mob destroys, humanity builds.

It is time to build.

Rehumanize Yourself.

"It Belongs in a Museum"

“Archeology is our religion, yet we have fallen from the pure faith. Our methods have not differed as much as you pretend. I am but a shadowy reflection of you. It would take only a nudge to make you like me. To push you out of the light." – Rene Belloq

Belloq said that to Henry “Indiana” Jones Jr. FORTY years ago today. “Raiders of the Lost Ark” is one of my all-time favorite films. The prequel and the sequels are fun (although Crystal Skull has some…issues), but there will never be another, Raiders. I remember begging my family to see it. My dad relented and 40 years ago cinematic history blew me away.

This original movie poster hangs in an undisclosed location – somewhere in the bowels of New Jersey…

Principal photography for Indy 5 started earlier this week in Northumberland, UK. The working theory is this one takes place in the sixties. The fifth installment is being directed by James Mangold and not Steven Spielberg. Mangold directed “Cop Land”, “Walk the Line”, and “Logan” – he is Indy worthy. I’m rooting for this project – Indy deserves an excellent closing act.

Harrison Ford will be 80 years-old when part 5 is released. I hope that they play to the character’s age – Indy’s is supposed to be 37 in Raiders, 39 when he and his father thwart the Nazis in “The Last Crusade”, and 58 in “Kingdom of the Crystal Skull”, which takes place in 1957. Using this as a baseline, Indy is going to be in his sixties in the sixties. Not only do I hope they play to his age, but I also further hope they remember that Dr. Jones must lose an eye (as per, “Young Indiana Jones Chronicles”). Continuity matters.

It turns out that Harrison is, at this moment in time, 78 years old. George Hall, the actor above who played a 90 + year old Indiana Jones, was 74 when he shot his bookend scenes for “Young Indiana Jones Chronicles”.

However, it pans out, “It’s not the years, it’s the mileage.” Raiders is in my top 5 films of all time. It has a bit of everything and proudly wears its Saturday morning cliffhanger cereal roots and fedora at the same time.  I can't wait for opening night.

Happy Birthday, Indy.

 

Fear and Loathing

A member of the GOP recently said...

"Democrats want to use the criminal process against president Trump because they fundamentally fear him running in 2024, obtaining the republican nomination, and reasserting his time in the White House."

I saw one Twitter user, Stonekettle, answer quite appropriately...

"OR Maybe it's because he's a goddamn criminal."

Circa 2015, when asked about what real power was, candidate Trump said... 

“Real power is – I don’t even want to use the word – fear.” 

And that, at the end of the day, is what he inspires his devotees to do, to live unquestioningly by his example and try to spread fear.  He gave them a permit – a license to intimidate. This is why we have seen such an upswing in white supremacy, Nazis, domestic terrorism, intolerance of people of color & LGBTQ+ citizens. 

 People were given the go-ahead to let the darker natures of themselves out to that the darkness could see the light of day and spread like a cancer. Fear? Perhaps. Men do evil things. But there is good, too. “Fear” of what another Trump presidency would do to our citizenry, his cult, domestic terrorism, our sensibilities, our ability to reason for ourselves, reality, our constitution, the rise of an autocracy which replaces our republic, our very union through violence or seduction of those who cannot or will not think for themselves or treacherous souls who wish to scoop up some of that “power”. That is what scares me. 

We should all be terrified of these things. It is a testament to candidate Trump’s words that this manipulation has worked so well and so far. He inspires those who want to make others fear and by doing so elevates himself. This is how he has always been. Some contractors don’t get paid for their work – no problem, I’m too big to touch and those around me will be able to brow beat them down. I have bigger lawyers. I don’t pay my taxes – “I’m smart,” and my brain-dead minions will say out loud, “Trump is sticking it to the government!” I don’t win a legal election for the Presidency of these United States. “The election was stolen and I am going to march down to the Capitol and let them know that – who’s with me!”

- Real fear of being sued out of business because you can’t afford the lawyers that Trump can.

- Fear used as a tool to manipulate people into thinking not paying one’s taxes is the “smart” thing to do and – amazingly – the concept that “Trump is for the little guy!”

- Real fear of our democracy crumbling due to insurrectionists defiling the Capitol & fear as a tool of manipulation to control a mob just waiting to be told what to think – what to do next.

Yes, fear has been used quite effectively by Trump. There are two all too real quotes from two fictional characters that come to mind. Simply because a character is not “real” does not negate that power of their words, the power of myth – the power of story…

“Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.” – Master Yoda

“I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over and through me. And when it is past, I will turn the inner eye to see its path. When the fear is gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.” – Bene Gesserit teaching, the Litany Against Fear

Fear is a natural emotion and like any emotion it is up to us to determine if we have the emotions or if our emotions have us. Fear easily leads to anger, hate, and suffering. We must be mindful of not only the fear in ourselves but also the fear in others for we do not know where they are on the scale; is their fear passive or active or rather, is the outside world affecting them or are they affecting the outside world? Has anger and hate brought suffering? Were you the recipient of the suffering or the one who caused it? Emotions can lead us to be motivated and manipulated. We must, as the Litany Against Fear states in its mantra-like way, make a foothold against fear so that we are not swept away by it. So that we face it with our minds instead of being obliterated by the emotion itself.

So, back to point. Rule by fear is what tyrants and dictators do. Trump is still - even after losing a legal election - a wannabe tyrant and dictator. Those who do not see this and support him are either easily manipulated or are people who want to be the tormentors or oppressors themselves – to scoop up those little bits of power wherever they can find them. That is the character of today’s Trump supporter – from those in high places to the hundredaires who defend the billionaires with their Trump flags-a-flyin’. Fear brought them to where they are now and power by fear is that little thrill that they need to keep feeding – from the low to the high. 

I don’t buy into what they are selling. Those who pedal in fear are usually very afraid and emotional themselves. They will call you a “snowflake” or accuse you of being, "triggered" whenever you say anything against their regime or their perceived power. They crumble when faced with logic or reason. As an effort to save face they will emotionally exclaim, “fake news!” or “Bengasi!” or “her emails!”, still to this day. As a squid releases ink to escape a predator a Trump supporter will start spewing agitprop when confronted with reality. They do so in fear. They do not like it when the predator becomes the prey.

I wouldn’t mind if their ideals and goals didn’t mean the fall of decency, our republic, and democracy but here we are.

Until such time that critical thinking returns to a populous that chooses to use reason and reality as a base of operations, I will keep the Litany Against Fear close at hand. I will fight against tyranny, fascism, and ignorance of fear with the meager tools at my disposal – my voice and my keyboard. 

I will support the oppressed and not the oppressor. 

I will be part of the future and not a slave to the past. 

I will try to make things better not simply for myself but for my/our children and my/our children’s children.

We need more kindness than we need brutality. This is how you fight fear and tyranny. One must “Be the change that you want to see in the world.” Deeds, not words. I don’t have to change the world, I need to live a life that inspires by example, that builds people, ideas, and concepts up instead of tearing them down, a life that was worthy of being remembered for more of the good and less of the bad. Robert Louis Stevenson said, "Every heart that has beat strongly and cheerfully has left a hopeful impulse behind it in the world and bettered the tradition of mankind." At the end of the day that is my desire.

Fear happens. It is part of being human. It is what we do with that fear that defines us. Who do we want to be? 

I choose the light.

I choose to let the fear pass through me.

We have a serious battle ahead of us in the 2022 mid-term elections.  The GOP must not take control of either the House or the Senate.  They have taken major steps to ensure that their proto-autocracy grows akin to a cancer.  They are doing so through voter suppression laws and through gerrymandering.  They do not wish to live in a representative republic or a democracy - they only crave power and they have stacked the deck in their favor by exploiting voting laws in individual states.  The Supreme Court of the United States has already said that they will not hear any case on gerrymandering, placing the onus on the states themselves to be fair.  This is giving the wolfs the key to the hen house and, rest assured, the republicans will carve up districts that do not represent the people but will only represent their lust for power.  What is happening is disgusting, corrupt, and - literally - un-American.  Our vote is our voice and they want us silenced.  

During the last administration, decency, reason, reality were all sacrificed to the object of their worship or for most of them, a means to an end.  That's what Trump was to the career republicans in the House and Senate.  It did not matter how low everything sank, how close to fascism we came, or even when their very lives were threatened on January 6th during the insurrection of the Capitol - as long as they remain in power they don't care who the next republican demagogue is in the oval office.  Presidents come and go but a gig in the Senate can be lifelong.  

Yes, term limits should be a thing, too.

Fear is healthy.  It is natural.  But it is what we do with that fear that makes or breaks us.  Now, we must prepare to VOTE come 2022 and that means getting people excited about voting in each and every election from schoolboards to sheriffs to fire chiefs, to representatives on a state lever, and to representatives on a federal level.

"Our vote is our voice."  

Use it now for there are those who want to take it away and they are known as republicans.  

One Year Ago, Today

I wrote this on my calendar one year ago today...

My daughter and I happen to work in the same building within the same organization.  We were sent home from work early on March 16th, 2020 for an undetermined length of time. 

I have been keeping a journal since this - the coronavirus started - widespread, here in the United States of America.  This is my entry from, exactly, one year ago today...  

“3/16/20

Disneyworld shut down last night due to the threat of the Corona virus. Today, there were 80 more cases diagnosed in New Jersey. The governor put in place a soft curfew of 8:00 pm for people to be home. The casinos in Atlantic City shut down at that time, too. Restaurants and bars are switching over to take out status and closing earlier. There are several closings—come to think of it tonight, at 8:21 pm, my supervisor texted our group saying that if we were, “non-essential” personnel, that we did not have to report to work tomorrow. So, in other words, my job has been postponed due to COVID-19.  My daughter and I are off until further notice. When we return is anyone’s guess.

This shutdown makes sense. There are those who feel otherwise, but they are wrong. The best way to contain this is to, “flatten the bell curve” and to practice social distancing (limiting one’s own movement and avoiding public spaces). The spread can be slowed but people must be open to making this happen. The universe has given us time off so that we do not contract and/or spread the virus. Who are we to argue with the universe?”

My daughter and I now work from home.  It is the same with my wife.  My wife is looking forward to returning to her routine and her office.  My daughter and I, however, are happy working from home.  But all that is a tale for another day - a different journal entry altogether.  

That journal, by the way, is now over 3,300 pages long.  A lot has happened in a year's time.  I thought that I would document it as best as I could.  You should know, Gentle Reader, that it is not all me and a lot of it is not fit for human consumption.  There are hundreds of pictures and articles - all sited mind you - and, of course, there is commentary and observation from yours truly.  An everyman's view of this time in history.  It has grown long but the work must continue.  It will continue until I feel that we have either placed COVID-19 behind us or we have adapted to a "new normal" where COVID-19 remains with us, but due to vaccines and personal responsibility it will be kept at bay.  Personally, I believe it will be the latter.  There is no magic bullet for the coronavirus.  I believe we will have to adapt.  When we do, I will call the journal complete.  

There are better days ahead.  The light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter.  We will get there.  

Until then, get vaccinated.  Wear a mask.  Wash your hands.  Practice social distancing.  Be good to each other.  Perhaps if most of us can do these simple, unselfish things, I will not have to write another 3,300 pages come this time next year?

Stay safe.

Today is a Good Day

After our democracy was tested its breaking point – both figuratively and literally – Joe Biden has become the 46th, President of the United States. 

“Today is a good day.”

I recall hearing those words before and for the very same reason that I use them today. It was 11/7/20. The time was 11:28. My wife had been wanting to go out, after all it was a beautiful day, but I was working in my journal that I have kept since the beginning of quarantine and I had my eye on the Electoral College numbers. Was today going to be the day?

“Come on,” she urged, “Get ready. Let’s go. I want to head to the bank, and they close soon.”

“I’m just finishing a thought…” I said as I typed away. “…There.” I said, let me get dressed and we can go.” I went into our room so that I could get dressed. I was just pulling up my pants when she exclaimed from the other room…

“The AP called it!” she said, “Biden is the winner!”

And so, he was. We both sat down at our computers to glean as much information as possible. God knows the states had been careful in counting and, therefore, had not had a clear winner until 11:28 am. My daughter came downstairs and joined us. Linda found a linked site on CNN with the banner, “BIDEN WINS” in large font across the top of the page. 

We watched, Van Jones started speaking, live to the world. What he said, brought me to tears because in two minutes he was able to describe and give a glimpse into the dystopia that the last four years have been. A two-minute microcosm of TRUTH. With all the noise, chaos, and shameless lies being on the menu these past four years, hearing the truth brought me to tears. It did so because the last four years have been bad. Worse than bad. Across America the spark of our negative impulses, hatreds, and inherent selfishness were kindled to near conflagration by the occupant of the White House, 2016 – 2020. Now the occupation of the People’s House – the White House, was near an end. Mr. Jones’ words hit me when I saw them happen live. Later, I took the liberty of transcribing his words…

“It’s… um… Well, it’s easier to be a parent this morning. It’s easier to be a dad. It’s easier… It’s easier to tell you kids, ‘character matters’. It matters. Tellin’ the truth, matters. Being a good person, matters. And it’s easier for a whole lot of people. If you’re Muslim in this country, you don’t have to worry if the president of this country doesn’t want you here. If you’re an immigrant, you don’t have to worry it the president is going to be happy to have babies snatched away or send dreamers…. Back for no reason. This is vindication for a lot of people who have really suffered. You know, “I can’t breathe” – you know, that wasn’t just George Floyd – that was a lot of people that felt they couldn’t breathe. Every day you’re waking up and you’re getting these tweets and you just don’t know, and you’re going to the store and…and people who have been afraid to show their racism are getting nastier and nastier to you. And you’re worried about your kids and your worried about your sister and can she just go to Walmart and get back into her car without somebody saying something to her. And…and, you’ve spent so much of your life energy just tryin’ to hold it together. And this is a big deal for us – just to be able to get some peace. And…and to have a chance for a reset. And the character of the country matters. And…and being a good man matters. You know, I just want my sons to look at this – look at this. You know, it’s easy to do it the cheap way and…and to get away with stuff. But it comes back around. It comes back around. And it is a good day for this country.

I’m sorry for the people who lost. For them it’s not a good day. But for a whole lot of people, it’s a good day.”

Your vote is your voice.

The noise and the lies have been rejected.

I am not exaggerating, Gentle Reader, when I say that I feel lighter. It is as if a weight has been lifted. The occupation is over. The hate that has been a hallmark of the last administration has been exchanged for HOPE.

I am not gloating. I am telling you the truth. And the truth is something that we have grown unaccustomed to hearing. God knows we have problems, but the first thing one must do is acknowledge them so one can do something to fix them and move on.

The reset button has been pressed.

I’m ready to for better days.

The First Step to Recovery

One of my closest friends posted on Facebook concerning it being Martin Luthor King Jr. Day, that we have major underlying problems with racism, and that the problem is worse than normal & has been emboldened these past four years.

He is not wrong on any of these points. The mob mentality of certain disappointing Venn diagrams of people I know has been eye opening. It is one of the reasons I have cut back as much as I have concerning Facebook – the people. Now that I have seen their true faces – the ones that they used to hide – I find I cannot tolerate them for extended periods of time. If their transgressions are too much they are banished and blocked, which is mutually beneficial I don’t miss them and they don’t miss me. Is this how echo chambers happen? Sure – but I am DONE with entertaining flat-out racists & radicles. If that means I’m in an echo chamber at least I know its not in theirs.

But, getting back to my friend’s post…

I used to think so much better of us. I thought that we were better than who we are as a people – as a nation. I thought that people were treated fairly no matter what shade of the rainbow their skin was. It turns out I was in a cocoon – a comfortable, white chrysalis – wearing my rose-colored goggles. I was wrong. I didn’t know any better. I grew up. I matured a bit and was able to see the cracks in everything around me & I began to question myself about those cracks & everything I took as indefatigable truth. The world is a much larger place than the one we are presented with as children or adolescents.

We have a MAJOR underlying problem of systemic injustice right here in the United States of America. COVID-19 exposed a great many of our most dirty secrets. Fears, superstition, racial injustice, hidden hatreds, civil rights, healthcare, science denying, selfishness, conspiracy zealots incapable of maintaining a baseline reality, domestic terrorists – yeah, this is America. Not all America – but the America that we are presenting to each other and to the world. When people do not feel as if they are in “control” they are susceptible to wrong thinking – susceptible to falling for opinions rather than thought; because, if anything, social media has taught us is that opinions are so much easier to have than thoughts. BUT there is hope. I truly believe that this is a time where we can do something we need to do as a society – recognize that we have problems – SERIOUS problems; because if we can recognize that there are problems – identify what they are – then we can do something about them and start to build a nation where we can TRULY say that we stand for “Liberty and justice for all”. That words such as, “We The People” stand for ALL people, because they must or they mean nothing. We need the courage of our convictions. Not the situational ethics that have suited us for years.

Things are changing – COVID-19 saw to that. Our dirty secrets are not secrets any longer. They have been laid bare. Since they are in the light let us work together to make them better, to fix them – all people of good will working together for not simply our own benefit but for the benefit of all. We are at a unique point in history where we can & must recognize these issues – our problems and do something positive to change them. We owe it to ourselves, we owe it to our country, we owe it to the world, and most of all we owe it to the future – to our children. This was part of Martin Luthor King Jr.’s message, “There is nothing to keep us from remolding a recalcitrant status quo with bruised hands until we have fashioned it into a brotherhood.” That is from his book, “Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?” I’ve had enough chaos. It’s far past time we started truly building that community.

Common Ground

There are agents of chaos. To them – the true believers, the ones who have embraced hatred to the point that they wish to commit violence for no rational reason whatsoever against our fellow citizens. Stop. Think of what you are considering over these next few days. It is not hard to see on social media, I mean there are some of you who are not even bothering to cover your tracks, which in itself is a cry of desperation. The truth of the matter is none of these threats or plans that you have made need to happen. There is no sense in it.

You may be excited to be going to the “Rally for Trump” but 1 + 1 still equals 2. He lost, at this point we are looking at basic math. 60 lawsuits later – each without merit. He lost. I do not say this to gloat. It is what it is. Four years ago, the Electoral College voted him in, and he won. Four years later, the Electoral College voted him out and he lost. As I said, it is what it is. It is not the end of the world and, you never know, perhaps things will not be as bad as you expect them to be. I hope that is the case. I hope for another one of the pillars of our democracy to work as it has these past 244 years – the peaceful transfer of power.

We have consisted on a diet of lies & fantasies told by madmen and manipulators for far too long. Some of these claims have been repeated and accepted by some to the point that they are not only believed but taken to heart as gospel truth. We cannot base such serious actions, which are being discussed openly on social media, upon these delusions. We cannot. We are better than that. We must unplug from the big voice that reassures us, that keeps us warm and safe in our comfort zones – telling us what we want to hear. No, the voice must be rejected.

“What are you talking about?”

Smoke and mirrors are what I’m talking about. The illusion may be comfortable but there are two things that I challenge you to do: 1., Think for yourselves. This is not an insult – this is a calling. Voltaire said, “Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.” We need a baseline reality that we can all work from. For that to happen we must think for ourselves. 2., Think of others. It is not all about me or you. We share a world with a great many different types of people in it. Wanting to hurt, maim, or kill others because they don’t look, worship, or vote like you or I do is not only illegal, but it is also ethically bankrupt. Doing so to any level cheapens whatever cause you believe you are fighting for. We are Americans & entertaining such plans is at its very core un-American. We are better than such things. We have more in common than we don’t. But, in order to see that, we have to consider that there are other people in this world and, thankfully, here in the United States of America it is this diversity that continues to make us all the stronger.

My girl lost and your guy won in 2016. My guy won and your guy lost in 2020. It is what it is. Society and our representative republic need come to a baseline reality – a balance that we can mutually accept as the truth. We need at least two political parties who can abide by reality. This is not an insult this is real. Denying reality only goes so far until reality doesn’t move any longer to fit our own personal narrative. Let us seek the truth together – standing on common ground. Let us work together for the betterment of all. We are all in this together, Americans – We The People of these United States. Together we can make a better world for our children and, at the end of the day, I think that is something we can both get behind – it is that common ground.

We are in this together – as we should be. Great things are possible if we realize the potential in ourselves and lift those around us to realize theirs. Hope is one of my favorite four-letter words. Let us be the people we are called to be and move into that future together – a future found on common ground.

I Can't Wait for the Vaccine

Yes, I can’t wait for the vaccine. I’ll take either the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine or the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine – I can’t wait for that RNA to do it’s thing.  I feel this way for two reasons; 1., the obvious - this is the light at the end of the tunnel that will usher in our new normal.  And 2., protection against the non-science believing rubes who don't care about anything but illusions. 

I saw this out there on the internet...

I can't wait for the vaccine for it will protect me and mine from people like Stacey, here. I’m tired of having to depend on Stacey’s ability to grasp common sense or for the common health & welfare of others. She is lacking.  Stacey has proven herself a danger. The concept of other people and their needs escapes Stacey. You may want to brace yourself, Stacey, but it’s not all about you. It is because of the Stacey’s in this world that we – right here in the United States – have well over 300,000 DEAD due to COVID-19. 

Yes, Stacey – the vaccination will free me and mine from the likes of YOU. The stupid, the ignorant, and the evil – a trifecta of protection in a series of two shots, each 21 days apart. There are precious few moments in life when one can get a shot in the arm and be protected from the ineptitude of others. It will be refreshing - liberating really. 

I cannot wait. I cannot wait to embrace the light at the end of the tunnel. I know that the Staceys and Karens of this world may not take the vaccination. If it was only about them, which as we have previously established – it is not, BUT if it was only about them, I wouldn’t care. The trick is our actions, or our inactions affect others - we know this, this is beyond them.  Yes, the Stacey or Karen will refuse the vaccination, contract COVID, and take it to their parents, their friends, and their coworkers. They do not care since it is all about them – it always has been. People like us? We are background actors – non-player characters in Stacey’s or Karen’s world. Therefore, the onus is up to us to outthink and/or outmaneuver the Staceys and the Karens. I can only hope that those around them knows them for what they truly are – the stupid, the ignorant, and/or the evil and they get vaccinated as soon as possible so that they too will be protected against their Staceys and Karens in our selfish, unkind, unenlightened world.

Again, how many times in history can we point at where a vaccination can not only save lives but offer protection against indiscriminate killers - spreaders like the Staceys & Karens?

Not too many. When it becomes available, get vaccinated.

Until such times, wear a mask, wash your hands, and maintain social distance. We will never know how many lives have been saved by these simple measures. Conversely, we will never know how many lives were lost because such measures were ignored.

Do your part and, when you can, get vaccinated.

MARVEL 616

 Let's talk a bit about, MARVEL 616.

“What’s that?”  It’s a show on Disney+.  I just finished the first season and I loved it.

There are 8 documentaries about Earth 616.  And, in the MARVEL Universe, World 616 is us – it is our home-world.  These documentaries, filmed by 8 different documentarians, examine, “the intersections of storytelling, pop culture and fandom within the Marvel Universe.”

Brief breakdown of the documentaries…

1.       “Japanese Spider-Man.”  There were 41 episodes of Spider-Man that were produced in Japan that the western world didn’t know of until about 2009.  Interesting story. OH, and if the rumors of a Spider-Verse movie are true Shinji Tôdô NEEDS to one of the Spider-Folks.

2.       “Higher, Further, Faster.”  Representation matters.  It is important that kids can look around and see a hero that represents them.  It matters a lot.  Further, there are more women working as writers, artists, and editors, too.  Worthy episode.

3.       “Amazing Artisans.”  Technology has made the world all the smaller.  This episode follows two Marvel artists – contributors to Miles Morales and Moon Girl, both live in Spain and both meet their deadlines.

4.       “Lost and Found.”  This one made me giggle and then laugh out loud.  Paul Scheer is on a search to reboot a forgotten team of Marvel superheroes.  Good luck with that.

5.       “Suit Up.” Is all about cosplay at the New York Comic Con. 

6.       “Unboxed.” This one explores, “the relationship between toys and comics.”  Seeing the inner workings of Hasbro and Funko was fun.

7.       “The Marvel Method.”  This is how Stan Lee wrote.  He would come up with characters, a villain, and a plot and then he would give it to artists to tell the rest of the story.  Most comic writers these days use a script, which makes things easier for artists, pencilers, letterers, and editors.  Dan Slott, who had a 10 year run on, “The Amazing Spider-Man” is not one of them.  He uses the Marvel Method.  I loved this episode.  If you like to write – you too will LOVE this episode.

8.       “Spotlight.”  I didn’t know that Marvel produced high school plays for the stage.  This final episode of the first season follows two classes of kids producing two different plays – Squirrel Girl and Ms. Marvel.  This one is all about theater and the process of collaborative storytelling.  I loved those kids and their teacher - but I speak too much - go see it for yourself!  I dug it.

I am looking forward to season two of, ‘MARVEL 616’.  And Disney+, if you're out there, PLEASE greenlight Season Two!  You must do so, for there are still so many stories from Earth 616 to tell.