We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.
Americans Differ on Ukraine and Gaza. What are we to conclude about these contradictory wars and American attitudes toward them? The more democratic and defensive the power, the more Americans support it—but only up to a point.
A lot of people seem to have forgotten about the war in Ukraine. That’s a mistake.
As I mentioned, I want to write more as my system continues or alters. Sadly, it's been nuts for slightly over 2 weeks with a lot going on. I can share information or a few things, because it's been mostly good, but there are a few items.
1. Due to Chemo and Radiology daily (5 days) I have seen my health drop. Not significantly, but enough to definitely feel awful. Nausea, then treated. Weakness, handled by some improvements which manage a bit more extensively. The last 2 weeks allow the assistance of steroid assistance allowed in lower levels. Headaches higher the past 3 days. Treatments allowed in higher levels. As mentioned, my hair is long cut (and I'll share my lovely look now lately).
2. Overall feeling better in treatment as weekly doctor meeting have opened the assistance and treatment gains. Greatly appreciated. I have been in the city twice over 4 years, will add tomorrow and next week - though weakness is down slightly.
3. Radiology lost one day due to errors wasting 3 hours waiting last week - my day shifted by one day so my last day is 4/15 Monday - but I am heading immediately to leave Mrs. Bulldog behind as her parents will allow me to resolve in FL as I'll need restness and softness at the local beach. It will be helpful. Great to have healthy in-laws.
Besides both exercises being upper-body, I link them because they share the same gym machine.
To get the benefits of enough reps, many people (me) need the machine support for 10-15 reps/set. Fit guys and slender gals don't need it, but many of us do.
(It's funny/sad to recall, but we were all also tested on our singing ability, math ability, and public speaking ability. Whew. As a 13 year-old nature-boy nerd, I guess, all was deeply humbling. Humbling is good for the soul, mostly.)
"Be not affrighted. Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him." Mark 16:6
Christ, the Lord, is risen today, Alleluia! Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia! Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia! Sing, ye heavens, and earth, reply, Alleluia!
Love's redeeming work is done, Alleluia! Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia! Lo! the Sun's eclipse is over, Alleluia! Lo! He sets in blood no more, Alleluia!
Vain the stone, the watch, the seal, Alleluia! Christ hath burst the gates of hell, Alleluia! Death in vain forbids His rise, Alleluia! Christ hath opened paradise, Alleluia!
Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia! Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia! Once He died our souls to save, Alleluia! Where thy victory, O grave? Alleluia!
Soar we now where Christ hath led, Alleluia! Following our exalted Head, Alleluia! Made like Him, like Him we rise, Alleluia! Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!
The wonderful tune which brings back every Easter in one's life, and a few tears, too. Composer? Unknown. Words by Charles Wesley, 1739. The verses were written for the opening of the Wesleyan Chapel in London, in an old foundry. Hence the term Foundry Collection of hymns.
The rest of Wesley's verses of the song are on the continuation page, below.
We have the whole crew here this year, sadly without Popop who died a couple of weeks ago. Mrs. BD is busy picking out his funeral music. Yes, it will be an RC Funeral Mass.
Thanks to God, life goes on and Easter is a magical day, a feast day in Christianity.
I'm grilling 2 marinated butterflied legs of lamb - might be more than 16 people need especially including the littles. I have 4 1/2 grandkids and 4 step-grandkids.
Mrs. BD is making 2 traditional Rice Pies. I made some mint sauce. Everybody else has to bring sides.
I think we'll watch the NYC St. Patrick's Easter Mass live on the machine in the morning, cuz too much to do to get to our church. Yes, we Protestants do love an RC Mass and I do like Cardinal Dolan. Same narrative.
Easter blessings to all, regardless of views on existence and its mysteries.
Had we stood in that crowd that day, it is a forgone conclusion that we would have been part of the sneering mob, ushering him to eternal doom.
He who knew no sin, took ours on to Him, and became the sacrifice for us that each of us deserved.
Good Friday may be a day of celebration for you. But not for me. It is a day of conviction, meditation, remembrance, and sorrow.
Sorrow that a God who never had to, sent His only son, to suffer everything I have always deserved.
The realization of this is the beginning of gratitude. But on Good Friday there was nothing to be grateful of for sure. Only some vague promise that He might return.
On Good Friday, the only hope we had dared to believe in was dead. Evil had won, mockers had succeeded, traitors were enriched, and the enemy of everything good declared victory.
On Good Friday even God the Father turned his back.
It was the smell, not just of death, but of abandonment, hopelessness, emptiness, and defeat. It was all encompassing, it was suffocating.
On THAT Friday there was nothing good...nothing good for anyone.
On Good Friday hell rained down everything it could on Him, and fortunate for us, He was strong enough to take it!
28After he had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29When he had come near Bethpage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, 30saying, Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31If anyone asks you, Why are you untying it? just say this, The Lord needs it.
32So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them. 33As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, Why are you untying the colt? 34They said, The Lord needs it. 35Then they brought it to Jesus; and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. 36As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road. 37As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, 38saying, Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven! 39Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, Teacher, order your disciples to stop. 40He answered, I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.
I do have some updates, but I have been busy. Short update(s). First, my personal close family arrived yesterday. Sister and her family (husband and children) from Vienna, Austria in arrivement. My father and his wife also arrived. My mother and my sister (who cares for her at age 88) arrived. My brother and his wife also arrived. All of this time spending and tiring, but essential with some more opportunities but with a less likelihood for complete original involvement of this kind likely again soon.
I also have a new teach announced for in 3 weeks as a potential which was unknown, sudden, and possible starting after April's first week. I have been doing calls and set ups for that as well as preparation for an early MRI and completing chemo and radiology, while taking an in-laws family trip this weekend shortly.
There other stories I will expand on a future day (Monday or Tuesday) but the key point are two fold. One is a larger natural public completion I will present to High School children after I speak with two of my pastors and possibly a local Rabbi of a friend. Another is using that as a larger presentation for more options possibly in video and/or public revolutions after it is seen on Maggie's Farm.
The second fold is this attached story - a great shortage resolution of the value of Reservoir Dogs by Quentin Tarantino. While I have found many very good Tarantino films, Reservoir Dogs has been, since its release, as one of the greatest of its kinds. I have loved it only slightly less than Pulpy Fiction. Tarantino had several good films, but these were his two best overall in my view. My son did a wonderful set up and arranging a discussion about Reservoir Dogs and made it very much worth reading - I recommend it today and will follow up later with more. Enjoy this, I was overwhelmed by his knowledge as quite excellent.
One side note. If you have not seen The Conversation, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS ASAP as the 50th anniversary this year. With Cazale in it, the film was largely ignored in the US in 1974 for poor reasoning by criticals. It is, by far, a great film overlooked back then. It was Cazale's poorest US film, its only wealth winning a Cannes 1974 Palme d'Or. It also won or was nominated for various Academy Awards, BAFTA and Golden Globes, in addition to MANY others. It starred surprisingly great actors. Gene Hackman, John Cazale, Teri Garr, Cindy Williams, Harrison Ford, and Robert Duvall put together an AMAZING story with top level management and story making. Phenomenal and widely overlooked until only now. My other son, upon my call after watching it, surprised me shockingly by admitting the very day before he'd seen a local Manhattan Film offer for The Conversation's 50th Anniversary and he took it in and was overwhelmed by its great production for 1974. I laughed and agreed deeply with him. I highly recommend this if you have time, too.
Gen Z 
We have the whole crew here this year, sadly without Popop who died a couple of weeks ago. Mrs. BD is busy picking out his funeral music. Yes, it will be an RC Funeral Mass.
A quote 
Why do we do things that are bad for us? 
