Random Friday Thoughts — September 29, 2023

Nine months of the year are almost behind us and the spooky, the thankfully tasty, and the merry and bright seasons are ahead of us.

Thank you for taking the time to check out my random thoughts this week.

HAPPY FALL FROM MISS XANADU

Crazy pug Xanadu is 9-months-old now and up to 17 pounds! She’s definitely taking in the sights of autumn.

And, she’s a total garbage mouth and loves the crunch of half-eaten acorns left behind by squirrels.

At first, I didn’t pay too much attention to her munching them — other than the awkward poop since they don’t break down.

However, after she got sick and vomited the other night, I did my research and learned that acorns are toxic to dogs!

Acorn poisoning will first cause vomiting and can lead to kidney and liver damage. And, in rare cases, death!

The more you know!

BOOK BANS

PEN America reports that book bans were up 33% across the United States during the 2022-23 school year compared to 2021-22.

And, it should come as no shock that Florida leads the U.S. at 40%. Texas is in second place in book bans. (Other states in the top five: Missouri, Utah, and South Carolina.) 

The largest group of targeted books are those with LGBTQ+ themes and from queer authors.

People, if you don’t want to read them, move on and entertain yourself!

HOMOPHOBIA & COUNTRY MUSIC (SHOCKER!)

Gay country singer Adam Mac recently dropped out of the Logan County Tobacco and Heritage Festival in his hometown of Russellville, Kentucky.

His reasoning — he heard that board members were “concerned” he’d be “promoting homosexuality” while performing.

Since then, several friends of the LGBTQ+ community in country music have come out in support of Adam Mac including Maren Morris and Kelsea Ballerini, along with queer singers Chely Wright and Brandi Clark.

While they may have contacted Adam Mac personally, no male country music star has publicly supported him!

For the record, I didn’t know of him before this controversy. But, I’m going to give him a listen now — just because.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PRESIDENT CARTER

On Sunday, my idol, President Jimmy Carter turns 99-years-old.

For anyone, turning 99 is remarkable. It’s even more so for President Carter because in February, he entered home hospice after a series of short hospital stays.

In the past seven months, he and his wife, Rosalynn, who is living with dementia, at age 96, have stayed out of sight.

However, they made a surprise visit last weekend at the Plains Peanut Festival, where they live!

Also, President Carter is the oldest living president and he and his wife, Rosalynn, have been married for now over 77 years, making them the longest-wed presidential couple.

CRAZY PUG LOVES HELPING

Back in August, Sophia, a colleague at work, left to pursue another career opportunities and I baked her a peanut butter-chocolate ganache cheesecake. It was rather tasty!

Well, pug Xanadu loved helping with the pre-wash cycle. Ironically, I didn’t add the music (Dead or Alive) to the video.

It was playing in the background, but worked well with her madness of licking the spatula! 🙂

“WHAT HE DIDN’T DO”

I started listening to country music some after coming across Cole Swindell’s “Drinkaby” earlier this year.

This Carly Pearce song caught my attention and it’s one of my favorites now.

On March 27, 2023, it reached number one on the Mediabase chart, becoming the first woman in 80 weeks to top the country radio charts with a solo track.

Some believe that the song might be about her ex-husband, country singer Michael Ray.

JUST SAYING

For Carly Pearce, her man was left for what he didn’t do.

For some (or many), it’s what “he did”!

“TENSION” BY KYLIE MINOGUE

As you know, I’ve been excited for months about the release of Kylie Minogue’s 16th studio album, “Tension”, that came out last Friday.

I bought the 14-song deluxe version and it’s an incredible follow-up to her 2020 masterpiece, “Disco”!

As much as I enjoy “Padam Padam” and “Tension”, the first two singles, and both are perfect choices, my favorite song on the album is “Hold On To Now”.

I expect this to be the third single.

Another standout is “10 Out of 10” with Oliver Heldens. It was released as a teaser before “Padam Padam” was chosen as the first single.

And, “Vegas High” is superb! (If only I had tickets to see one of her 20 shows at the Venetian in Vegas!)

While every song on the album is solid, my other favorites are: “Things We Do for Love”, “Story”, “One More Time”, and “Green Light”.

Of the three extra songs on the deluxe version, “Love Train” is my favorite.

“THE SUSPECT”

I came across this five episode-one season British police procedural television series and it was enjoyable.

Clinical psychologist Joe O’Loughlin (Aidan Turner) is called in to assist police after a woman was found dead in a cemetery from 21 self-inflicted stab wounds.

As the show progresses, O’Loughlin becomes a suspect in the murder.

GRADE: B+

“JUSTIFIED: CITY PRIMEVAL”

“Justified” ran for six seasons on FX (2010-2015).

I binge watched in early 2021 and loved it, especially Timothy Olyphant.

It’s tells the story of U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens (Olyphant) having to go back to his home state of Kentucky in the Appalachian Mountains as punishment for shooting a Miami thug in a questionable manner. Givens has his own set of justice that doesn’t set well with his bosses!

The series returned for eight episodes this summer with Olyphant returning as Givens.

He left Kentucky to raise his daughter in Miami, but finds himself in Detroit.

He’s looking for The Oklahoma Wildman, Clement Mansell, played by the oh so tall and oh so delicious Boyd Holbrook.

His favorite choice of dress — a kimono and tighty whities!

Oscar nominee Aunjanue Ellis (“King Richard”) brought some star power to the cast and that definitely help balance out the huge mistake of having Olyphant’s real-life daughter play his character’s daughter in a few episodes!

GRADE: B-

MORE HENRY KISSINGER

Last week, I started sharing things I learned from Walter Isaacson’s 1992 look at the incredible life and career of President Richard Nixon’s Secretary of State and National Security Advisory Henry Kissinger.

Here are a few more:

When Kissinger entered government in 1969 to the time he left in 1977, his weight ballooned from 155 to 215 pounds. He loved junk food and his diet consisted of “sausages, bratwurst, eggs, cream, fried onion rings, and meat loaf”.

And, when I read biographies and autobiographies, I love hearing about real things, like what these people eat and enjoy in life. And, how lavish they live.

When Kissinger retired from government work after President Carter moved into the White House in 1977, he and his wife bought a four-bedroom duplex in Manhattan. While very impressive, what blew me away is that the dining room could seat 40 people at four large round tables!

And, finally, U.S. Democratic Senator from New York Daniel Patrick Moynihan, who worked with Kissinger at Harvard and in the Nixon White House, often repeated, “You do not understand. Henry does not lie because it is in his interest. He lies because it is in his nature.” And, because of his conspiratorial nature, Moynihan says he “helped bring on” Watergate.

ON A BRIGHTER SIDE — KISSINGER’S WIT & HUMOR

Isaacson did share several incidents of Kissinger’s humor. Here’s one:

After President-elect Carter won the 1976 election and was getting ready to move into the White House, Kissinger headed off to Brussels for a NATO meeting.

A reporter asked him, “Can you tell me what you consider to be your greatest success and your greatest failure?”. Kissinger replied, “I don’t quite understand your second point.”

THAT’S IT

With all the craziness in the world, make it the best in your little part of it!

Anthony

Random Friday Thoughts — September 22, 2023

Fall officially begins this weekend (Saturday at 1:50 a.m. Central Time). I’m already decorated, so get busy!

My two goals for October: eat apple cider donuts and make a cocktail or two with apple cider.

Thank you for taking the time to check out my random thoughts this week.

THE WEATHER IS TO BLAME FOR THIS SHORTAGE

Extremely dry weather in the Mediterranean and the third hottest summer on record in Spain is driving up the price of olive oil!

Spain is the world’s largest producer and exporter of olive oil and the average price has now more than doubled since this time last year (up 130%).

The global prices for olive oil surged to $8,900 per ton in September and American experts say it’s showing “no sign of easing”.

“LIQUID GOLD”

Now that the price is skyrocketing, thieves are raking in the money by stealing it.

NBC reports about 50,000 liters of extra virgin olive oil were stolen from an oil mill in Spain in late August. It was valued at about $450,000!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TAMMY!

My little sister, Tammy, celebrates her birthday this weekend.

I’m baking one of her favorite desserts — Sawdust Pie, a very popular pie at Patti’s 1880’s in Grand Rivers, Kentucky.

HOPING AND PRAYING FOR CHANGE

Thankfully, my sister and I have both outlived the years our parents did (47 and 55). And, since I’ve being honest, I’m very surprised about Tammy. She’s like a cat with nine lives.

She’s already had heart attacks and strokes and she’s been told many times that she has to change her ways (stop smoking, eat healthier, and exercise).

In early 2021, we seriously thought she was dying and we were already making arrangements, but she rebounded. She had another setback this summer with a stroke and it was another dire situation.

And, since then — still smoking, not eating right, and no exercise!

Tammy, my dear sister, I’m being greedy now. Make those changes for us if you won’t do it for yourself!

“RED, WHITE & ROYAL BLUE” (THE MOVIE)

It’s been some time since I watched a LGBTQ movie that really touched me and made me want to fall in love again.

Recently, I checked out “Red, White & Royal Blue” on Amazon Prime and it was touching.

Both leads, Taylor Zakhar Perez and Nicholas Galitzine, were sexy and charming and Perez has a beautiful butt! (Okay, he did!)

The movie starts at a royal wedding and a scandal ensues when the $75,000 wedding cake crashes to the ground after a shoving match between Alex Claremont-Diaz, the son of the U.S. president, and England’s Prince Henry.

So, they’re called in to do “damage control” and prove to the world that they’re friends and not enemies.

Well, one thing leads to another and since it’s a love story…

GRADE: A

“RED, WHITE & ROYAL BLUE” (THE BOOK)

After watching the Amazon Prime movie, I decided to read the 2019 book by Casey McQuiston.

I read the 2022 collector’s edition that featured a new chapter written from Prince Henry’s perspective.

There were definitely some funny lines and scenes in the book that didn’t make the movie and there were some funnier lines in the movie compared to the same scene in the book.

I love that the book goes into much more detail than the movie, some details graphic. While the movie was sexy, the book was more erotic.

One more thought about the movie after reading the book — if you’re making a movie that’s going to tick some people off anyways, cater to the ones that want to see it. Go all out!

MY FAVORITE GO-TO MOVIES

While I’ve watched “Red, White & Royal Blue” twice already, my two favorites that I’ve watched many, many times that still give me hope for love are “Latter Days” (2003) and “Shelter” (2007).

And, I absolutely loved 2017’s coming-of-age “Best Picture” Oscar-nominated “Call Me By Your Name”, although it was more of a one sided-love affair. (I saw it in early 2018 and it was my favorite movie that year!)

DON’T BOTHER ME THIS WEEKEND!

Why? Because I’ll be dancing around with pug Xanadu to the new Kylie Minogue album, “Tension”.

The album’s first single, “Padam Padam”, was a huge hit worldwide and it was her first radio hit in America in almost two decades!

The follow-up, the title track, “Tension”, is racing up the charts around the world.

MY THOUGHTS ON HENRY KISSINGER

Former President Richard Nixon’s Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger was a very interesting man.

I just invested two weeks reading Walter Isaacson’s 1992, 767-page biography and I’m really torn about the man, who is now 100-years-old!

There’s no denying Kissinger was a genius and very intelligent. However, while he was a world-class diplomat, he was rude, insecure, and duplicitous. After learning more about him, I’ve concluded I don’t like him.

Yes, he made life safer for Americans and people around the world, but he also has a lot of blood on his hands.

He and Nixon could have ended the Vietnam War earlier than they did, so people continued to die. And, then there was the India-Pakistan War in the early-1970s. Those details are below.

“KISSINGER: A BIOGRAPHY”

Walter Isaacson’s biography of Kissinger was well researched and thorough.

I felt like I was auditing a course in Kissinger and the first 100 pages or so were painfully boring.

After that, getting caught up in his brilliance and sneaky duplicity was captivating. It’s mind-blowing how someone could have a larger than life ego and be so insecure!

Here are a couple more things I learned:

In the India-Pakistan War in December 1971, Kissinger’s approach was costly, especially in lives lost since the U.S. chose the side of the morally wrong Pakistan, which massacred hundreds of thousands of its own people.

“Within three days, some ten thousand people were killed; by the end of the year, the death toll would be more than half a million.” Additionally, 10 million refugees began to flee into India. (This likely led to President Gerald Ford’s loss in the 1976 presidential race since he was attacked in the race for the Republican nomination by Ronald Reagan and in the primary by the eventual winner, Jimmy Carter.)

According to Nixon’s Chief of Staff H. R. Haldeman, one reason the taping system that brought Nixon down was installed was to get Kissinger on tape advising Nixon (especially after the 1971 Cambodian invasion), since his views often changed without notice.

Kissinger later noted, “It was a high price to pay for insurance.”

ON A BRIGHTER SIDE — KISSINGER’S WIT & HUMOR

Isaacson shared several examples of Kissinger’s humor. Here’s one:

In late 1973 when he was brokering a peace agreement between Israel and Egypt after the Yom Kippur War that fall, a reporter asked Egyptian President Anwar Sadat if the U.S. would be cutting back on airlifting weapons to Israel. Sadat said we should ask this question of Dr. Kissinger.

Kissinger replied, “Luckily, I didn’t hear the question.” The reporter said, “I’d be happy to repeat the question.” and Kissinger said, “And I’d be happy to rephrase my answer.”

THAT’S IT

With all the craziness in the world, make it the best in your little part of it!

Anthony

Random Friday Thoughts — September 15, 2023

We’re halfway through September and there’s one more week of summer left. However, I’m sure many of us are already in the fall frame of mind.

I’ve already decorated for two reasons — I’ve been over summer for some time now and I also decorate early for Christmas!

Thank you for checking out my random thoughts.

TURKEY & NOW MOROCCO

Two months after I returned from an incredible trip across Turkey last fall, the southern part of that country and Syria was struck with a 7.8 magnitude earthquake that killed almost 60,000 people and injured twice that many.

Now, more than 2,900 are dead in Morocco after a 6.8 magnitude quake last Friday in the High Atlas Mountains near Marrakesh.

I was there five years ago next month to celebrate my birthday. The people were so nice and I had such a magical evening in Marrakesh with my new friends — Pom, Sheila, Po Po, and Izzy.

The evening started with a horse-drawn carriage ride through the streets of Marrakesh at sunset and a jaunt through the crowded souk (an Arab marketplace or bazaar) on the way to dinner. Once we were dropped off, we made our way through a series of alleys and at the end of the maze was the incredible and gorgeous restaurant.

I felt like royalty at this lavish dinner with this gorgeous group!

Our three course tasting menu started with incredibly colorful and tasty Moroccan salads. I chose fish Tagine for my entree, and had pastilla with light cream and crushed almonds with fresh mint for dessert. 

I’ll hold on to the fond memories of that trip and keep them (and Turkey and Syria) in my thoughts and prayers.

PUMPKIN SPICE CRAZE GETS CRAZIER!

Forget about Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts and their pumpkin spice coffees and baked goods, the pumpkin craze has gone to the dogs.

Anheuser-Busch is offering a non-alcoholic Pumpkin Spice Dog Brew.

Miss Xanadu will likely pass on this — she’s more of a vodka girl! 🙂

SOMETHING FOR THANKSGIVING

The Portland, Oregon-based company Salt & Straw is ready for the fall holidays with “The Harvest Festival Series” of ice cream. I’d love to sample the “Beecher’s Cheese w/Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls” and the “Pinot Poached Pear Sherbet”.

For the fall holidays in 2018, the company offered “Roasted Peach & Sage Cornbread Stuffing” (ice cream infused “with fresh-picked sage…handfuls of sweet and crunchy cornbread brown sugar shortbread cookies and spoonfuls of spiced peach jam brightened with a splash of peach vinegar).

And, “Salted Caramel Thanksgiving Turkey” (“sweet and buttery turkey brittle into a turkey fat caramel ice cream”)!

AND, OF COURSE, CHRISTMAS!

Cher announced October 20th as the release date for her first Christmas album, “Cher Christmas”.

So far, three possible covers have been presented and this is my favorite.

While there is still no track listing, I know that Cher and Darlene Love covered Love’s 1963 classics, “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)”.

Love wrote on Facebook, “This is one of the BEST duets I’ve EVER done!!! I’m so so proud and honored to be part of Cher’s FIRST EVER Christmas album and to be reconnected with Cherilyn Sarkisian whom I’ve known before she became CHER the mega star!!”

Other duets on the album feature Michael Bublé, Stevie Wonder, and Cyndi Lauper.

CAMELOT WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

70 years ago this week, (September 12, 1953), John Fitzgerald Kennedy married Jacqueline Lee Bouvier in Newport, Rhode Island.

The reception for 1,200 people was held at Hammersmith Farm, her mother and stepfather’s estate. And, because I love food, cake, and desserts, here is the wedding cake!

P.S. There’s also sexy Bobby Kennedy! Um, asking for a friend. How did his son running for president become such an idiot? (Okay, he was a drug user as a teenager and young man, but…)

A FAVORITE RETURNS

Red Velvet Oreos are back for a limited time.

We last enjoyed them in 2020.

“MAFIA MAMMA”

When it comes to movies, I’m more into dramas than comedy.

But, I recently took a chance on “Mafia Mamma” when Redbox offered it to me for $1. It came out last spring and it wasn’t a big box office smash.

It stars Toni Collette and I’ve loved her since 1994’s “Muriel’s Wedding”, one of my all-time favorites. If you haven’t seen it, you must next year for its 30th anniversary.

In “Mafia Mamma”, Collette plays Kristin, who works for a cosmetic company as an ad campaign writer under three sexist and juvenile men. And, she also catches her husband having an affair.

So, when she gets a call that she has to attend the reading of a will of her last living relative, her grandfather, who just died, she takes off to southern Italy.

And, yes, you guessed it. Her “family” is in the mafia and it’s funny watching this fragile American woman trying to run the family “business”.

GRADE: B+

“GOLDA: THE LIFE OF ISRAEL’S PRIME MINISTER”

Over the past weeks, I’ve been sharing some tidbits from Peggy Mann’s incredible 1971 biography of Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir.

Here are the final few:

An example in the book about how much Arabs hated Jews, this was a math problem that was still printed in textbooks in the late-1960s, “If there are eleven Israelis and four are killed, how many are left?” 😦

While the book was published in 1971, things were said then that are truly offensive now, like Mann’s line “And slant-eyed Chinese Jews….”

Some know a lot about the Holocaust that exterminated six million Jewish people and some only know a little about that atrocious event! Here’s a description from the book about the men, women, and children before they were shunted into the ovens to their deaths:

“… each corpse was gone over by trained technicians. One pried open the jaw, knocked out gold-filled teeth. In a single camp, Auschwitz, seventeen tons of gold were collected in this manner. Another technician shave the heads of women. The hair was used in the manufacture of mattresses and textiles. An apprentice member of the team removed such items as watches, rings, and false limbs. Jewish fat was used to make inexpensive soap. Bones which did not burn in the ovens were used for the manufacture of phosphate. And the final ashes were made into fertilizer for German fields and flower gardens.”

“A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE”

This 1951 classic was nominated for 12 Oscars including four in the acting categories. It won three of the acting awards (Vivian Leigh, Karl Malden, and Kim Hunter). It became the first movie to win three Oscars in the acting categories. (Since then 1976’s “Network” and 2022’s “Everything Everywhere All At Once” did that.)

I’m surprised at how boring it was and the acting of Vivian Leigh and Marlon Brando was over the top. (And, that’s not a compliment!)

GRADE: C

MARLON BRANDO — WHAT A HOTTIE!

But, it was worth watching just to lust after a young Marlon Brando — if only Stanley Kowalski wasn’t so loud and obnoxious!

THAT’S IT

With all the craziness in the world, make it the best in your little part of it!

Anthony

Random Friday Thoughts — September 8, 2023

Happy Friday!

Cooler weather is on tap this weekend for many across the country after our latest heat wave.

Thank you for taking time to check out my random thoughts.

THE WORLD’S BIGGEST POLLUTERS

China leads the world in air pollution.

This was when I arrived in Beijing in April 2016 and it worsened that afternoon. It got so bad, it looked like it nightfall!

Also, the United States, India, Russia, and Japan are in the top five (in order) doing the most damage to the Earth and creating our current climate crisis.

Temperatures are increasing, oceans are rising, the weather is changing, and ice caps are melting.

While we’re making progress, change is slow due to bureaucracy and the cost!

SO BLAME MARTHA STEWART!

Recently, the style icon was on a cruise around the fjords of Greenland.

She posted a photo of her enjoying a cocktail with the caption, “We actually captured a small iceberg for our cocktails tonight”.

And, then the haters gonna hate!

One Instagram follower wrote, “Martha the ice caps are melting don’t put them in your drink.” and another said, “I generally love Martha and the excesses of her life because she’s about beautiful gardens, homes, and food, but wealthy white people drinking their iceberg cocktails while the planet is in flames is a bit tone deaf.”

Okay, both are correct about the ice caps.

However, I don’t think Martha and her fellow cruisers were pulling a Yukon Cornelius and chipping away the icebergs for an Instagram photo.

And, if they did that, what bitches! (That’s sarcasm!)

Look at this way, they were recycling!

TASTY NEW COFFEE CREAMER

I drink coffee in the mornings at work, but I don’t love coffee unless (1) it’s iced coffee and (2) it has several artificial sweeteners and fun-flavored coffee creamer.

A new one is on the way this fall that’ll take you back to your childhood — peanut butter and jelly. The new “DUO” will feature strawberry jelly.

PRIDE MONTH (AND THE RAINY SEASON) MAY BE OVER

However, this photo of Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias from June’s Chicago gay pride parade was just brought to my attention!

How did I possibly not know about this?

I saw him at the 2010 Chicago Gay Pride Parade when he was running for Senate and I’m still crushing on him!

STILL DISAPPOINTED WEEKS LATER

I was so excited when Kylie Minogue confirmed her first Las Vegas residency at the Venetian Resort’s new venue, Voltaire.

20,000 seats and I couldn’t snag one standing room only ticket ($250). I still have faith that more shows will be added and I’ll see Kylie later this year (or in 2024)!

BUT, I’M VERY EXCITED FOR “TENSION”

While I won’t be fulfilling my bucket list and seeing Kylie in Las Vegas, the “Tension” album release is just two weeks away.

That excites me and makes me smile.

Just last week, Kylie released the second single, the title track, and the video is so much fun. And, the song’s lyrics are hot and steamy!

Which is your favorite Kylie? I love them all!

Meanwhile, the first release from the album, “Padam Padam”, is an international hit (#1 in Israel and the U.K.) and it’s still climbing the charts here in the U.S.

It’s actually being played at Top 40 radio and is at #31.

“WHO IS ERIN CARTER?”

I hadn’t heard anything about this new Netflix series, so I took a chance on it and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Erin Carter, a substitute school teacher, and her daughter are in a grocery store when a robbery goes down. When her daughter is threatened, Erin reacts in a way that makes you realize she’s more than a mother protecting her child.

As of now, it hasn’t been renewed for a second season. However, I’d watch a second season!

Evin Ahmad as Erin Carter is sexy and a badass and her husband Jordi (Sean Teale) is absolutely gorgeous.

GRADE: A-

“GOLDA: THE LIFE OF ISRAEL’S PRIME MINISTER”

Last week I shared a few things from Peggy Mann’s 1971 biography of Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir.

Here are a few more interesting tidbits from the book:

The Arab nations’ banned Elizabeth Taylor’s movies because she married Eddie Fisher and adopted his religion and became a Jew.

Her political adviser Simcha Dinitz summed up her leadership when she was appointed Prime Minister (the previous leader died in early 1969 and the leaders didn’t want to appoint one of the frontrunners for the top job before the October 1969 election): “She has the best qualities of a woman — intuition, insight, sensitivity, compassion — plus the best qualities of a man — strength, determination, practicality, purposefulness. So we’re lucky. We have double qualities — in one person.”

Meir was very honest and clever with her remarks. In New York City, in the fall of 1969, at an elaborate event in the Grand Hall of the Brooklyn Museum with ancient Egyptian antiques and paintings in the background, Meir told the museum curator, “I promise not to stand in front of any work of art in case I get shot.”

In October 1970, addressing a celebration of the United Nations’ 25th anniversary, Meir told the crowd, “All of those around us, as well as Israel, have paid the terrible price of endless warfare. Billions of dollars have been spent on armaments instead of on war against poverty, disease, and ignorance. There are now deserts of death where there could be blooming fields. I say this today not in rancor but in sorrow.”

REMEMBERING GARY WRIGHT

Last Friday, iconic singer Jimmy Buffett died at the age of 76. When a huge star dies, lesser stars that die the same day or close to it are overlooked.

Singer Gary Wright died on Labor Day at the age of 80.

Wright only charted with three Top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, but the first two were huge. “Dream Weaver” and “Love Is Alive” both peaked at #2 in 1976.

“Dream Weaver” is one of my favorite songs from my childhood.

“SUNSET BOULEVARD”

I decided now that I’m heading into my sunset years, I’m going to watch a few classics — movies older than me and some that may be more recent, but I never saw. I kicked it off with “Dog Day Afternoon” and I enjoyed it.

I just watched the 1950 classic, “Sunset Boulevard”, which was nominated for eleven Oscars (four in the acting categories).

It tells the story of a younger man, Joe Gillis, (William Holden), a struggling Hollywood writer, going to work for Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson), an aging movie star trying to hold on to her fame and looks.

I liked the movie, but I would’ve much rather have seen it on stage with the amazing Patti Lupone as Desmond!

One final comment, after seeing some of Swanson’s facial expression, I know where Faye Dunaway may have gotten the inspiration for some of her crazed Joan Crawford expressions in “Mommie Dearest”!

“And now, Mr. DeMille, I’m ready for my close-up.”

GRADE: B

AND, SPEAKING OF GLORIA SWANSON

The Hollywood star had a not too secret affair in the late-1920s with Joseph P. Kennedy Sr., the father of President John F. Kennedy!

At the time, he and his wife, Rose, had been married for over a decade and had eight children! Their last child, Ted, was born after the Swanson affair cooled.

Later, Swanson would say of Kennedy’s wife Rose that she was either “a fool or a saint”.

THAT’S IT

With all the craziness in the world, make it the best in your little part of it!

Anthony

Random Friday Thoughts — September 1, 2023

Happy September! Goodbye summer!

Okay, I’m getting ahead of myself since a new heat wave is building across the country, including Illinois!

Thank you for taking the time to check out my random thoughts.

NOW THAT IT’S “METEOROLOGICAL FALL”

“Meteorological fall” is September, October, and November, the three months between the hottest and the coldest months.

Some call Labor Day the “unofficial end of summer”, but if you want to just stick to the autumnal equinox (fall), that’s September 23rd at 1:50 a.m. CDT.

Photo Credit: Shairaa/Shutterstock

EMMY AWARDS POSTPONED

With the Hollywood writers and actors strike going on, this year’s Emmy Awards have been pushed back to NEXT YEAR on January 15, 2024.

I guess this gives you time this fall to binge watch shows and performances that have been nominated.

“MONSTER: THE JEFFREY DAHMER STORY”

When the true crime series, “Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” hit Netflix in September 2022, it was a huge success.

The series and its stars — Evan Peters as Dahmer and Niecy Nash as Glenda Cleveland, Dahmer’s neighbor — started winning huge industry awards. The series and stars are nominated for 13 Emmy Awards (seven in the Creative Emmys category).

I watched it and it was an excellent crime series and the acting was superb!

GRADE: A-

CONTROVERSY

However, Netflix, the producers, and even the stars faced backlash from the families of the victims. They’re accusing those involved in the series of “profiting off their traumatic experiences” and “retraumatizing” the family all over again.

One victim’s relative stated, “I want people to understand this is not just a story or historical fact, these are real people’s lives.”

I fully understand that and they’re right. For them, I know the pain will never go away and seeing shows or documentaries about it dredges up the horrible memories.

However, it’s been 30-plus years and dramatizing events for television or movies are not new and it’s not unique to the Dahmer case.

I know if it was my family member, I wouldn’t be watching!

MY CONNECTION (?) WITH DAHMER

Back in the summer of 1990, at the age of 25, I moved from Kentucky to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. While I was only there for a few months into the fall, I enjoyed my job as a bartender at “Partners”, one of the oldest LGBTQ bars in the city.

One night I went out drinking with my friends and co-workers in the seedier part of the gay district at C’est La Vie and Club 219.

Needless to say, I had way too much to drink and the scary alley, while unsavory, was a great place to puke before we moved on elsewhere!!!

I didn’t think too much about it at the time, but when serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer was arrested, I got chills. Club 219 was one of his favorite haunts and he picked up some of his victims there!

I used to keep journals and my night at Club 219 coincided with the stalking and murdering timeline of one of his victims.

He very well could have been lurking in the corner that night I was totally wasted!

“THE GREAT”

I just finished season three of the Hulu hit, “The Great”.

Both leads, Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult were nominated for Emmys in the lead comedy categories last year.

While I loved the first two seasons, I only liked this one. It had its moments.

As I watched this season, I found myself hoping this would be the last season. And, then when a major character was killed off (?), I realized three seasons were enough.

Well, be careful what you ask for. Earlier this week, it was cancelled.

If you haven’t watched it, I highly recommend it.

SEASON 3 GRADE: B-

“GOLDA”

While “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” are still dominating the box office around the world, “Golda”, the movie about Israel’s first (and only) female prime minister opened to a decent box office.

In only 883 theaters, it made $1.7 million in its opening weekend. (For reference, “Barbie” was played on 3,700+ screens.)

I definitely want to see the movie, but I may have to wait until it streams or is released on DVD since it’s not playing in Decatur, Illinois.

“GOLDA: THE LIFE OF ISRAEL’S PRIME MINISTER”

For many years, I’ve been obsessed with Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir.

Peggy Mann’s biography is like a lover letter to the late prime minister. While a very easy and informative read, the book came out in 1971, which was bit of letdown for me.

It ended before the 1972 Olympics slaughter of Israeli athletes and how Meir handled that tragedy and it didn’t cover the last seven years of her life. Meir died in 1978.

One of the most interesting things I learned about Meir is that while she was born in the present day Ukraine, she grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Denver, Colorado, before heading back to Palestine in 1921 to help found the state of Israel (in 1948).

Her first job offer was teaching students English, but she turned it down. However, when she and her husband joined a kibbutz (a collective community based on agriculture), she took a job picking almonds!

In the 1930s, Meir went to work for a union that was one of the first to offer insurance to its workers called “womb to tomb” coverage!

Israel’s first Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion said of Meir: “Some day, when our history is written, it will be said that there was a Jewish woman who raised the money which made the state possible.”

In 1956, Ben-Gurion asked Meir to take the job of Foreign Minister, the second most important job in Israel. B.G., as he was known, said “She’s the best man in my Cabinet.”

When a reporter asked Meir how it felt to be a woman minister, she tartly replied, “I wouldn’t know. I’ve never been a man minister.”

When she took the Foreign Minister job, she chose the name “Meir”, which meant “illuminate” in Hebrew. (It’s pronounced May-EAR). Her married last name was Myerson.

I’ll share more things I learned about Meir next week.

THAT’S IT

With all the craziness in the world, make it the best in your little part of it!

Anthony