Random Friday Thoughts — July 25, 2025

It’s summer and there are still almost two months left of the sizzling season, but mark your calendar — Christmas is now just five months away!

AND, THE HEAT IS STARTING THE PROCESS!

AND, BEFORE CHRISTMAS MARIAH….

Mariah Carey announced her first album since 2018’s “Caution” will arrive September 26th!

“Here For It All” will feature Mariah’s current Top 40 and Urban hit, “Type Dangerous”, and her new single, “Sugar Sweet”, that came out today!

THERMOSTAT SETTINGS — NO WAY!

If you read my blog on a regular basis, you know that Miss Xanadu and I have had a rough summer with the apartment being way too hot.

“Professionals” have been four times (the first two visits to fix one problem). The next two times were to follow-up on my complaints.

The complex management summed it up as “third floors are notorious for being hot” and basically, “deal with it”!

Whatever!!! We’ll be relocating March 1, 2026, and I won’t make that mistake again.

Moving there, I realized it’d be warmer with morning sunshine. But, it never crossed my mind that the Central unit wasn’t big enough to cool the bedrooms.

Moving on… the U.S. Department of Energy says the “sweet spot” is 76° when you’re home. It also recommends 82° when you’re sleeping. WHAT?

I want it cooler when I’m sleeping, not hotter? Your thoughts?

I’m ready for this!

STAMP PRICES

Earlier this month, the price of a first-class stamp went up again in the U.S. It’s now up to 78 cents!

I did something really insane. I went to the post office before that price increase and bought 200 stamps since I love sending out Christmas cards, which is pretty much the only time I use stamps and the postal service.

Once these are gone, no more Christmas cards!!!

Most of the people I send cards to now, I’m friends with on social media and they have access to my Christmas letter and greetings!

Now, if I had stocked up on “forever” stamps in 2019, it would’ve saved me a fortune.

R.I.P. U.S.P.S.!

I honestly think the U.S.P.S. is a losing battle with many people using online bill pay and banking.

Years ago, I suggested the U.S.P.S. could save money by cutting out weekend mail service. But, that may be a union issue?

Now, I have friends that work for the postal service, so I hope they figure things out.

Also, I have a gorgeous substitute mail carrier and it makes my day to see him. And, he knows Xanadu well. He always addresses her by name. Okay, I got sidetracked.

“ONE DAY IN SEPTEMBER”

Last week, I talked about the 1972 Olympics massacre in Munich, Germany and I mentioned Simon Reeve’s 2005 book, “One Day in September”.

A couple of other interesting notes I learned from Reeve’s book: Many countries negotiated with terrorist organizations in hopes they wouldn’t commit acts of terrorism in their country. Germany secretly released the three surviving terrorists of the 1972 Olympics games to “protect” themselves.

Even the United States negotiated with Ali Hassan Salameh, the chief of operation for Black September, the group that coordinated the Olympics massacre. Reeve reports the American government offered Salameh three million dollars in cash one time and a blank check another time.

Also, Salameh was rumored to be the eventual successor to Yasser Arafat, the head of the Palestine Liberation Organization. Salameh was a playboy that loved sport cars, designer clothes, and had many homes and villas across Europe. However, Arafat’s luxury splurge — a spoonful of honey in his tea!!!

MY CURRENT FAVORITE SONG

I love Calvin Harris’ music.

“18 Months” was my #3 album of 2012 and the follow-up, “Motion” was one of my favorites of 2014.

If dance music isn’t your thing, Harris is also a model.

Okay, back to music. His two biggest radio hits in America both feature Rihanna: “We Found Love” (2011 — ten weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100) and “This Is What You Came For” (2016).

His latest, “Blessings” with British singer Clementine Douglas, reached #3 on the U.S. Dance chart and #1 in Guatemala, Honduras, Latvia, and on the U.K. Dance chart.

It’s reached the Top Ten in, at least, 18 other countries.

“HEADS OF STATE”

You know how it is when you know you shouldn’t do something because you know it’s going to be bad.

That’s how I felt when I heard about this movie. I love Idris Elba and Priyanka Chopra Jonas, but I’m not a John Cena fan.

This is what I wrote about the last John Cena movie I watched: “And, the absolute worst movie I watched this year was “Jackpot”! While I loved Awkwafina in my favorite movie of 2019 “The Farewell” in a dramatic role and I loved her in my #5 movie of 2018, “Crazy Rich Asians”, “Jackpot” was horrible.”

I summed it up with, “It was like a night at a casino and losing all your money and never getting a bonus round on the slots!”

Well, even Idris and Priyanka couldn’t save this one. Painful!

GRADE: D

THAT’S IT

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

Anthony

Random Friday Thoughts — June 27, 2025

Three weeks in a row sharing my random thoughts and I have, at least, three more coming.

As always, I appreciate you checking them out and you sharing your opinions — even if we disagree!

CHECK YOUR FREEZER

No, this isn’t about a recall of something you may have in it even though there seems to be a food recall almost daily.

Late last week, I noticed the soda in my refrigerator was not cold and my glass of milk tasted sour many days before the expiration date. Then, I noticed the funky smell.

I put a thermometer inside the fridge and it was 67°!!! (Refrigerators should be around 35°!) However, everything in the freezer was still frozen!

Maintenance came and he diagnosed the problem as soon as he opened my freezer — it was packed too full!

Since the thermostat is in the refrigerator, it never occurred to me the fan and the two vents that cool the fridge are IN THE FREEZER! After the freezer was defrosted and the tubes de-iced, the refrigerator worked fine!

The more you know!!!

EARLY SUMMER HEAT WAVE

Fall is now less than three months away and it can’t arrive soon enough! I know that last weekend was only the first of the summer!

This winter, I’ll love the fact that full sunshine comes through our living room and main bedroom window from sunrise through early afternoon.

However, that’s a VERY BAD thing in the summer and, especially, with the heat wave Central Illinois is now experiencing.

My central air was checked and repaired because it wasn’t working properly. However, I believe there’s a bigger problem — I think the unit’s size is inadequate to cool the two bedrooms at the other end of the apartment or there may be a tear in the ductwork.

Even with the shades closed, it does nothing to block the sun and it gets up to 85° every day! So, I ordered blackout curtains for all the windows!

On Monday, I white-trashed it — or black-pugged it — until the curtains arrived later in the day. 🙂

Verdict: No difference in keeping the apartment cooler. So, when they come to check the ductwork, hopefully it cools off in the apartment!

Thus, we’re hating summer!

CHEESECAKE DELIGHT!

Back in early March, I made two Chocolate-Cinnamon-Caramel cheesecakes with a Cinnamon Graham Cracker Crust for late Christmas presents.

I tagged my two favorite Food Network stars Bobby Flay and Aarti Sequeira on X (formerly Twitter).

And, Aarti responded. Yes, Chef!!!!

Okay, while it may have only been “Yum!” with a yellow heart emoji, that’s enough for me! 🙂

TEN YEAR ANNIVERSARY

Marriage equality became a reality for ALL Americans ten years ago this week in 2015.

While several states had already made marriage equality law by court rulings or at the polls, there were still 30 states with statutory or constitutional bans on same-sex marriage.

My marriage back in the fall of 2011 was in Davenport, Iowa.

The Hawkeye State became the third U.S. state to legalize same-sex marriage on April 3, 2009, when the Iowa Supreme Court voted unanimously to uphold a lower court’s ruling.

Sadly, three of the judges that made the decision were voted out of office in judicial retention elections in November 2010.

“OVERCOMPENSATING”

The eight-episode Amazon Prime Video comedy-drama from out actor-creator-writer Benito Skinner is hilarious.

Benny, a golden boy back at his high school in Idaho — star athlete and valedictorian — is now a freshman at Yates College, where his older sister, Grace attends. In orientation, he befriends Carmen, and together they navigate college life together.

Benny has a big secret he keeps from his family, his friends back home, and at college, while developing a huge crush on Miles (Rish Shah), understandably!

Okay, it’s not a big secret to you now. 🙂

And, that final scene of season one — WOW! Amazon Prime, renew the series now and Emmys, nominate Skinner!

GRADE: A

“LATTER DAYS”

Since it’s Pride month and I just mentioned Idaho, one of favorite movies of all-time, “Latter Days”, features a kid from Pocatello, Idaho.

He’s a Mormon missionary trying to navigate Los Angeles, while struggling with his sexuality and a strict religious family.

I’d call this a dramedy because it’s comedic and very touching and heartbreaking at times. One of my favorite funny scenes is when Lila (Jacqueline Bisset) walks into room and her servers are trashing a famous customer in the restaurant.

Here’s the transcript since you may not watch the movie and I can’t find the clip on YouTube!

“THE HANDMAID’S TALE”

The Hulu series completed its six season run.

I was tired of the series after the fourth season, but I absolutely loved season five and then I couldn’t wait to see how it ends. 

The first four episodes picked up where last season left off and set the stage for this season. Episodes five through nine were incredible and intense. And, that shocker at the end of episode six was heartbreaking.

My favorite episodes were six (“Surprise”) and nine (“Execution”) (my absolute favorite).

The finale: One storyline was wrapped up with a happy ending. And, it effectively set up the spin-off series, but fell short in the main running storyline for this series.

FINAL SEASON GRADE: B

“THE TESTAMENTS”

Yes, a spin-off series based on Margaret Atwood’s 2019 book “The Testaments” is coming! 

I won’t say if June (played by Emmy winner Elisabeth Moss) plays a role in the sequel that takes place 15 years after the events of “The Handmaid’s Tale”.

Spoiler alert: ”The Testaments” focuses on Aunt Lydia and Emmy-winner Ann Dowd will reprise her role.

STILL MISSING DONNA SUMMER

Thirteen years ago this spring, in 2012, the Queen of Disco, Donna Summer, died.

I’m so happy I still get to enjoy her music.

This week back in 1989, she was enjoying her 14th (and last) Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, “This Time I Know It’s For Real”.

It’s one of my favorite songs in my first 35 years.

Before that surprise hit from the fantastic album, “Another Place and Time” (great title track song, too), her last Top 10 Hot 100 hit was “She Works Hard For The Money” that peaked at #3 in 1983.

THAT’S IT

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

Anthony