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.
Having been raised a New England Yankee, I was raised on lots of Clam Chowder. On Cape Cod, we kids would be sent out with a clam rake and a couple of buckets, and return covered with mud with buckets of big quahogs. I've had lots of good Clam Chowders, and a few which were inedible. The best Cod Chowder I've had was on Grand Manan Island. Forgot to get their recipe, but it was thick.
I suspect that CHAUDRON, CHAUDRÉE, CAULDRON, CHOWDER - and Chowda - are the same word. Technically, it seems to mean a seafood soup or stew which includes potatoes and some cream or milk.
Mrs. BD recently made a chowder with haddock - a Frenchy version - Seafood Chowder. She included chunks of lobster.
Why and Where the Working Class Turned Right - A new book documents the lost (and pro-Democratic) world of Pennsylvania steelworkers and how it became Republican.
Yes, I love Black Bean Soup. I used to dump it on a pile of (white) rice, but now I like a glob of mashed taters in the middle of the bowl.
Everybody has their own recipe, but I just wing it. What's wrong with this recipe is that it's too low on the beans and garlic, and has no jalapenos. Furthermore, I prefer to just mash a bunch of the beans and leave some intact. I think of it as a meal more than a soup.
Oh, also, I can't eat cilantro. Most can, but not me.
Lunges are a functional calisthenic. Legs, core, and some cardio. I do walking lunges with kettlebells because my trainer boss makes me, but on my own I just do body-weight walking lunges until it hurts. With the kettlebells it's much more difficult, more strength-oriented, and it is a bitch.
The muscle groups challenged with lunges are similar to those of squats, but best to incorporate both in a conditioning program.
North America has two species of Kinglets. I had a Ruby-Crowned flitting around shrubs this morning. I've rarely seen that ruby crown though. It takes sharp eyes to notice them even though they are not uncommon, especially in winter. Maybe you need to be curious about birds to see them.
Our two Kinglet species have quite different habits. Tiny birds, but impressive egg-layers.
1:4 John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
1:5 And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
1:6 Now John was clothed with camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.
1:7 He proclaimed, "The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals.
1:8 I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."
1:9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
1:10 And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him.
1:11 And a voice came from heaven, "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased."
Free will vs. Determinism is a fun college dorm topic. Of course, we all know that it is a false dichotomy.
However, in our world it seems to be useful to human dignity to give people credit for some choices in life, for better or worse. Yeah, I get that unconscious forces, genetic tendencies, talents, flaws, luck, etc have huge power in everyone's life, but Will and Choice is a good, if high, standard. High standards are good and make life better for everybody.
Sometimes I wonder whether this is mainly a Western Civilization concern.
Across the globe, millions of people are on the move, defying borders and violating laws to escape poor countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America and break into rich countries. The United States is their No. 1 destination.
1. Eat more pizza 2. Eat pasta 3. Quit all exercise, get more sitting practice 4. Resume cigars 5. Quit books - turn on the TV 6. Ignore all paperwork - let it ripen 7. Ignore all household chaos 8. A few gallons of ice cream in the freezer 9. Gain 25 lbs. 10. Cheerios for breakfast 11. Paper plates only 12. Lie in bed 'til 8 AM 13. Join social media 14. All trips to beaches with umbrella drinks 15. Learn to appreciate Taylor Swift
It'll be difficult, but I am determined, this time, to finally realize my authentic self.
The words of the Teacher, [1] son of David, king in Jerusalem:
2
"Meaningless! Meaningless!" says the Teacher. "Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless."
3
What does man gain from all his labor at which he toils under the sun?
4
Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever.
5
The sun rises and the sun sets, and hurries back to where it rises.
6
The wind blows to the south and turns to the north; round and round it goes, ever returning on its course.
7
All streams flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full. To the place the streams come from, there they return again.
8
All things are wearisome, more than one can say. The eye never has enough of seeing, nor the ear its fill of hearing.
9
What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.
10
Is there anything of which one can say, "Look! This is something new"? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time.
11
There is no remembrance of men of old, and even those who are yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow.
12
I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13
I devoted myself to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven. What a heavy burden God has laid on men!
14
I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
15
What is twisted cannot be straightened; what is lacking cannot be counted.
16
I thought to myself, "Look, I have grown and increased in wisdom more than anyone who has ruled over Jerusalem before me; I have experienced much of wisdom and knowledge."
17
Then I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom, and also of madness and folly, but I learned that this, too, is a chasing after the wind.
18
For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief.
2:22 When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord
2:23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord"),
2:24 and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, "a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons."
2:25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him.
2:26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Messiah.
2:27 Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law,
2:28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying,
2:29 "Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word;
2:30 for my eyes have seen your salvation,
2:31 which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
2:32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel."
2:33 And the child's father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him.
2:34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, "This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed
2:35 so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed--and a sword will pierce your own soul too."
2:36 There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage,
2:37 then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day
2:38 At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.
2:39 When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.
2:40 The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.
We've learned a lot about hospice care lately. When people are failing with little to no hope of not failing further, in the US you can get hospice care. It's through Medicare which, when you think about it, you are indirectly paying for and for which the person in question already has probably already done.
All it takes is a note from the doctor, and the "health proxy" agreement in which you agree that no further aggressive medical treatment makes sense for the person in question - or for yourself...
Yes, paying for hospice is cheaper for Medicare than paying for costly, hopeless treatments.
We had been mistaken in thinking that hospice was only for people with terminal cancer, and the like. Nope. Bad Alzheimers, sure, but also for any hopeless situation. The hospice teams seem to be excellent, and even includes religious support. Yes, they can give you some morphine for comfort too.
We all have to go sometime. It shouldn't have to be a tortured, hospitalized ending. I'm not ready yet although I did joke with Mrs. BD about it during my food-poisoning ordeal. She knows that I will want the morphine and to float away into the stars.
How the right amount of caffeine 
1. Eat more pizza
Hey - a new year. Time to join a gym and make a nutrition plan? (That's joking - such resolutions never work)