Random Friday Thoughts — January 30, 2026

While I shared a few blogs last fall and early this winter, the last “Random Friday Thoughts” was on September 5, 2025!

Wow, that’s almost five months ago. Let’s change that.

QUIET FIVE MONTHS

Real life — a move, unpacking and decorating, starting a new job, and my sister’s death have all kept me busy and kept me from sharing my random thoughts on Fridays.

Plus, there’s not a lot of positive things going on in the country. And, what is happening, I can’t be open and honest about. Back when I started my blog in 2012 and over the next several years, I was much more open about politics and things that were happening in the country and the world.

But, I don’t feel that I have that luxury anymore being a public figure — in today’s political climate. I don’t want to be cancelled (what was formerly called “Dixie Chicked”) or have a cult come after me!

MUCH-NEEDED GETAWAY

Last week, Pug Xanadu and I took a road trip to Murray, Kentucky, to visit two of my favorite cousins.

Dennis, a dear friend and one of the longest friendships in my life, drove down to have lunch with us.

I love eating at Sirloin Stockade when I’m in Murray and we all paid tribute to Tammy with our desserts. Okay, ours weren’t as boring as her sundae from December 2021 when we were there!

Xanadu and I are ready to go back!

STILL MISSING MY IDOL

A friend recently sent me a link of Paula Deen visiting President Jimmy Carter in Plains, Georgia, for a segment of her show, “Paula’s Home Cooking” in 2006.

I watched the 22-minute show and loved it. I also want to make that very unhealthy Gorilla Bread.

THIS!

President Jimmy Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 in Oslo, Norway.

Three other presidents have been awarded the prize: Theodore Roosevelt (1906), Woodrow Wilson (1919), and Barack Obama (2009).

Vice President Al Gore was also awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007 for his efforts to spread knowledge about climate change.

RE-GIFTING AFTER THE HOLIDAYS

This has been my absolute favorite, so far.

“HEATED RIVALRY”

The absolute best and most buzzed about series on television is the gay hockey series, “Heated Rivalry” on HBO Max in the U.S. Yes, I said “gay” and I said “most buzzed about series”. And, it’s not just “the gays”. It’s women, middle America, and even Peoria!

It’s the first series in God knows how long (if ever) that I wanted to start watching again as soon as I finished it.

I can’t believe how much straight America is fawning over the series and Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie).

My favorite character is Scott Hunter and the actor, Francois Arnaud, is so dreamy! And, “Kip” Grady (Robbie G.K.) is so adorable!

While I know the country and the world is full of homophobes and idiots that have no shame in proving that, I’m pleasantly surprised at how the love story is going over and playing in middle America.

Plus, the sex scenes are very hot and people are eating it up!

I saw this post and it cracked me up. It suggested scenes to skip past if you’re watching with your parents.

I looked at it as a guide to the scenes to fast forward to. 🙂

Here’s the trailer and season two is coming!

GRADE: A

“GAME CHANGERS” (THE BOOK SERIES)

I’m now going to read Rachel Reid’s six books the series is based on.

I’m on the list for the first two books through the Moline Public Library. I was 8th in line for the first book and 24th in line for the second book! (I’ve now moved up to 3rd and 18th!)

Someone wants to read them!

The seventh book, “Unrivaled”, which focuses again on Shane and Ilya, is due September 29, 2026.

JENNIFER LOPEZ

I’m a huge fan of J Lo and I still want to see her in concert one day, preferably, in Las Vegas.

With that being said, this snarky comment still cracked me up!

“MEAN GIRLS”

Late last fall, a woman was being “bitchy” (or “cunty” to the British) on my work page, so I posted a photo from “Mean Girls” and explained the situation to her.

A co-worker saw it and asked me about the movie and I said, “I’ve never seen it”. He left the DVD in the weather center for me and I finally watched the 2004 classic and loved it!

I was shocked at how many young stars were in it.

Now, I have to watch the other romantic classic I’ve never seen, “The Princess Bride”!

JONATHAN BENNETT

One of the stars of “Mean Girls” I was surprised to see looking so freaking young and adorable was Jonathan Bennett.

Well, I was four years late to this party below (an Insta post by Bennett that was quickly deleted), but I enjoyed it nevertheless!

Coffee, anyone?

MY FAVORITE SONG RIGHT NOW

The trip back to Kentucky last week gave me a chance to hear my Sirius XM more than the 10-minute drive to work and back.

My favorite song right now is “Cry For You” from the Grammy Award-nominated EDM duo, Sidepiece.

ONE OF THE LAST BOOK I READ

Since moving to the Quad Cities in early November, the only walks I’ve done are with Miss Xanadu and a few on my own — but, no reading. I haven’t read a book since leaving Central Illinois.

One of the last intriguing books I read was Jeffrey Toobin’s 2023 book, “Homegrown: Timothy McVeigh and the Rise of Right-Wing Extremism”.

He pointed out an interesting fact: Before the 9/11 terrorist attack in 2001, the Oklahoma City bombing was incorrectly reported as “the deadliest terrorist assault on U.S. soil”.

And, the FBI, in its official history, calls it “the deadliest act of homegrown terrorism in U.S. history.” Neither are correct. There was an even deadlier attack and it was in Oklahoma, too.

In June 1921, a racist white mob (pogrom) killed about 300 Black residents in Tulsa’s Greenwood neighborhood!

After the Oklahoma City bombing, the Tulsa race massacre was hardly mentioned.

THAT’S IT

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

Anthony

2025: Holiday Greetings & More

For me, this is “the most wonderful time of the year” — decorations sparkle, snowflakes glisten, and Michael Buble and Mariah Carey jingle all the way to the bank with their holiday classics!

I hope 2025 was a great year for you and you’re happy and healthy!

For this holiday letter, I can’t say what I said in 2024: “Life for us is very much the same as last year”. It’s been a whirlwind and many times over the past nine months, I said, “Well, that wasn’t on my 2025 Bingo card”!

First off, the “calm before the storm”: Miss Xanadu continues to bring so much joy to my life as she turns three just before New Year’s Eve.

She’s still the naughtiest, most mischievous, and the most adorable little pug!

In March, we moved to a new place with a balcony and a partial view of Lake Decatur.

Xanadu love the balcony and the tropical plants loved the sun and heat. My lime tree actually had limes this year.

Sadly, the central air couldn’t cool the apartment and it was in the 80s inside most of the summer!

Now, back to that elephant in the room and what made 2025 a “whirlwind”.

Last fall (2024), I extended my work contract. However, over the next year, differences in opinions and style with my new news director led to “irreconcilable differences”. It made me rethink my life.

The expression, “you can never go home again” is true to some extent because things and people change. Out of the blue, I was given the opportunity to right a wrong I made in 2017. That spring, my ex and I ended our eight-year relationship and marriage and I made the irrational decision to move away from the Quad Cities.

I took a job in Panama City (FL) and stayed a year, moved to Duluth (MN) for two years, and spent the past 5.5 years in Decatur, in Central Illinois.

I’m thankful for the first four enjoyable years at WAND in Decatur working with Deron and Sierra (above) and meeting Lacey (below) before I left the station.

Fate brought me full circle in early November.

I returned to the Quad Cities as the morning meteorologist and co-host at my old station, WHBF (OurQuadCitiesNews) in Rock Island, Illinois. I’m so happy to be “home” again. (I spent 11.5 years in the Quad Cities the first time.)

This photo is from 2013 when I started at WHBF the other time.

And, this is one of my favorite work wives, Emily, from 2016, at WHBF.

And, I have to say that I love my work photo. I think I’m holding up rather well. 🙂

Miss Xanadu now calls the Quad Cities home and she’ll enjoy the Mississippi River instead of Lake Decatur!

This year, I fulfilled my concert bucket list when I finally saw Kylie Minogue in Chicago in early April.

It was the most amazing time and I wish there had been two shows.

I’ve been wanting to see her in concert since 2001 and it was so worth it when she walked by this close to me!

I also saw two other concerts this year. In May, I saw international superstar LeAnn Rimes in Decatur.

It was the second time I saw her in concert. In 2005, I got to meet her in Salisbury, Maryland, before moving back to the Midwest.

And, just last month, I saw Grammy Award-winning, country superstar Clint Black in the Quad Cities.

My sister, Tammy, is still struggling with her health, but she’s alive!

This summer, we took a little road trip back home to Kentucky and spent a few days in Paducah.

We had a little party and I saw some friends I haven’t seen in almost 30 years! So much fun!

We then spent a couple of days in Murray (KY) with my two of my favorite cousins, Steve and Ronda, and did some boating on Kentucky Lake.

And, in October, we took another trip to western Illinois and stayed in a cabin on the Mississippi River.

To celebrate our birthdays (Tammy’s 59th, her boyfriend’s 60th, and my 61st), we drove to a casino for a crab legs buffet. It’s been years since we last pigged out on crab legs near Duluth!

And, the charcuterie board was amazing and beautiful.

Down the line, I still want to retire with a balcony view of citrus and avocado trees!

Oh, speaking of citrus, the limes — I now have eight and they’re loving the window view and are very happy to be on the inside with the snow outside!

With the recharge this November, I’m at peace and hopefully retirement can wait a few more years!

“May hope and faith conquer fear and hate this Christmas”.

Anthony