2026: Welcome and Let’s Do This

Happy New Year! We’re one-quarter of the way done with this century and I’m looking forward to the year ahead.

Politicos are ready for the November midterm elections. Sports enthusiasts are ready for the Super Bowl, March Madness, the NBA playoffs, Wimbledon, or the World Series.

I’m ready for a new and improved life. I’m ready to walk the walk and talk the talk!

MY NEW PHILOSOPHY FOR 2026

Between movies or episodes of whatever series I’m binge-watching, I fall into the YouTube “rabbit hole” of Kylie Minogue, ’80s dance music, slot machine bonus rounds, etc.

I came across this video and I’m totally mesmerized.

I guess Manny Patel has been doing these forever, but “I Just Wanna Fuckin’ Dance 2026” with Alison Jiear is fuckin’ incredible!

2025, GOOD RIDDENCE

The last year was rather trying and one I’d just as well forget.

A move to a new apartment in March turned into hell (okay, it felt like it inside all summer).

A tyrant boss made me re-think my life and leave Central Illinois and my job after 5.5 years. In retrospective, thank you so much! I’m happy and he’s someone else’s problem now!

That led to another move not just across town, but hours away.

And, days before Christmas, I lost my my sister and my best friend, Tammy, at the age of 59.

I’m ready for a new beginning.

QUAD CITIES 2.0

I made the first step toward that by moving back to the Quad Cities this past November. I’m now back at my old station, WHBF-4 and Fox 18.

Here’s how I summed up my first six weeks on the air to someone: “I’ve been here six weeks and it feels like six months with four straight hours of news instead of two and two hours each with two different co-anchors.”

Xanadu and I are settled into our new apartment.

She already has a new bestie, Phineas — a pug one year old than her.

Miss Xanadu turned three a couple of days before New Year’s Eve!

She and I celebrated on the actual day and that weekend, she invited Phineas and his brother George over for a grumble (a real word for three of more pugs in a group)!

We enjoyed our feast, too.

SOCIALIZING MORE

I’m making it a point to get out more.

Weeks into the move back to the Quad Cities, I went to a Christmas fundraiser premiere party and the next Friday, I saw country superstar Clint Black in concert.

And, the weekend before Christmas, I attended a holiday party at a real castle!

It was festive and gay!

CONCERTS

In last year’s look ahead, I was highly anticipating seeing Kylie Minogue in Chicago in April and it was a spectacular show. (And, that’s how close she walked by me!)

This year, I can’t wait for the concert DVD to relive it.

That fulfilled my concert bucket list after seeing Reba (13 times), Madonna (four times), New Kids on the Block (three times), Lady Gaga and the Chicks twice, and Patty Loveless, Olivia Newton-John, Helen Reddy, and Mariah Carey once.

I’m excited for the new year ahead. I’d still love to Daryl Hall & John Oates (if they ever play together again), Culture Club, Toni Braxton, and Vanessa Williams in a Christmas show!

THINGS THAT EXCITE ME FOR 2026

As I mentioned above, clearly the DVD to Kylie Minogue’s “Tension Tour” is at the top of my list.

“DEXTER: RESURRECTION”

Also, in February 2026, I can’t wait to see and add the latest season of “Dexter” to my collection.

Yes, I love Michael C. Hall. Or, do I really love Dexter Morgan?

If it’s Dexter Morgan I love, I definitely want to stay on his good side!

And, there’s season 5 of “Hacks” arriving this year.

I can’t get enough of Jean Smart as Debra Vance and Hannah Einbinder as Ava Daniels.

Also, the long-awaited sequel to “Red, White & Royal Blue”! It’s being shot right now!

Plus, season two of “Heated Rivalry”, but that’ll likely in 2027!

And, either in 2026 or 2027, a sequel is coming to one of my all-time favorite comedies — a box office bomb, but now a cult favorite!

Yes, “Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion”!

And, since I shared that GIF — IYKYK — the biggest music event I’m looking forward to in 2026 is Madonna’s sequel to the her 2005 masterpiece and my second favorite Madonna album, “Confessions on a Dance Floor”!

I’ve seen Madonna in concert four times and the “Confessions Tour” was the first one.

That Chicago show was mind-blowing from the moment she was lowered onto the stage in a giant mirrored disco ball and it opened!

And, then this iconic visual (scandalous?) performance of “Live To Tell”!

My favorite Madonna show was the “MDNA Tour”, which I saw on my birthday in 2012, in Las Vegas!

DATING?

Yes, the thought is still alive after alluding me for nine years. I talked to Santa and he wasn’t too optimistic.

However, he thinks the prospects are better in the Quad Cities than Decatur!

TOTALLY RANDOM THOUGHT

Totally random thought, but it ties in… In February 2025, I wrote about LGBTQ actors playing lead straight roles, “I totally bought my lesbian crush Jodie Foster as a straight woman (?) in “The Silence of the Lambs” and in “True Detective: Night Country“.

But, the point, I’m getting to is this. I also wrote: “And, I totally buy my (gay) dreamboat Jonathan Bailey as a straight man on “Bridgerton”. However, I’m totally jealous it’s not me he’s in love with and making out with!”

Well, I was onto something. “People” named him “Sexiest Man Alive” in the fall. 🙂

Jonathan, see topic above — “DATING?”! 🙂

And, if Jonathan is busy or unavailable, Aaron Tveit, give me a call!

Nevermind, he’s married!

There’s enough of them [married men] in the single life “dating” pool already!

Ironically, both Bailey and Tveit have both played Fiyero Tigelaar in “Wicked”!

Here he is for his talent and not looks (well, not entirely)!

MY FAVORITE SONGS OF 2025

Back in the day, I used to share countdowns of my favorite albums, songs, and movies. I only do movies now.

However, this year, here are my eleven favorite songs (that many of you likely didn’t hear)!

“I’M GOING OUT” (Steve Aoki, Sam Feldt, XANDRA, Nile Rodgers & Zak Abel)

“LAST NIGHT I DREAMT I FELL IN LOVE” (Alok & Kylie Minogue)

“SAVE MY LOVE” (Marshmello, Ellie Goulding, & AVAION)

“NO ONE ELSE” (Two Friends & Corbyn Besson)

“I WANNA GO” (Britney Spears — John Summit Remix)

“TASTE OF YOUR TONGUE” (Elephante featuring babyidontlikeyou)

“FANCY $HIT” (CID x Taylr Renee)

“INTO THE BLUE” (Will Sass featuring Kamille)

“BLESSINGS” (Calvin Harris & Clementine Douglas)

“XMAS” (Kylie Minogue)

***Seriously, this one is amazing if you didn’t catch it this holiday season. Take a listen!***

“NO BROKE BOYS” (Disco Lines & Tinashe)

And, she’s from Kentucky!

Thank you for traveling along with me on this journey called “life”!

Anthony

Random Friday Thoughts — March 13, 2020

Two weeks in a row with a new “Random Friday Thoughts”!  I hope this finds you healthy and happy!

Feel free to comment on any of my thoughts, but, as always, do it diplomatically!

MY THOUGHTS ON CORONAVIRUS

Don’t zone out from fatigue over the Coronavirus.  I’ll keep this part short!

You’re hearing a lot on the news about the virus, which is now a pandemic.

Basically the difference between a pandemic and an epidemic is that an epidemic is an illness affecting a specific region and a pandemic has global impacts!

Here is the U.S., sports seasons and playoffs are basically done, concerts are being cancelled or postponed, schools are extending spring break and going to online classes when they return, restaurants are closing, and the list goes on.

And, on Wednesday, actor Tom Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson, in Australia, announced they they tested positive for Coronavirus.

Yet, there are those that are blaming the media (of course) for hyping up something that’s no worse than the flu, which kills people each year.

However, Dr. Anthony Fucci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, says the Coronavirus is ten times (that’s 10 times) deadlier than the seasonal flu!

I’m not a conspiracy theorist, but I don’t trust the government!  (I’m not just talking about the Trump administration — yet that speaks for itself!)  I’m talking about trust on a daily basis and not specifically with Coronavirus.

This mistrust of the U.S. government is a product of past administrations (Republican and Democrats) of telling us just what we “need” to know, when it deems the time is right.

Well, here’s the thing.  I think Coronavirus is a real public threat and I think we’re going to see the number of cases (and deaths) in the U.S. and Canada shoot up drastically over the next month or so.

As for me, I pray that I don’t get sick.  However, I’m doing nothing more to prevent it than I normally do in a typical day. 

I always wash my hands.  I love using hand sanitizer (even before it was chic).  I cover my mouth when I cough and I move away from people hacking like they’re coughing up a lung.

And, no I didn’t raid the store for toilet paper, hand sanitizer, and bottled water!

However, I did buy a bottle of Smirnoff Watermelon Mint Zero Sugar Infusions vodka.  It sounded fun!  And, I do have a decent supply of wine and liquor!

I CAN’T GO ON…

You know I love buffets, especially in Las Vegas.

Hello, Wicked Spoon!  These were my four plates and truly UNLIMITED champagne and mimosas this past December from there!

Because of Coronavirus, my life as I know it is (temporarily?) disrupted — if I was in Vegas now.

MGM Resorts (which doesn’t own Wicked Spoon) issued this statement earlier in the week:

“MGM Resorts will temporarily close buffets at ARIA, Bellagio, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, The Mirage, Luxor and Excalibur, effective Sunday March 15. These changes are temporary and will be evaluated on a weekly basis.”

11 YEARS ON FACEBOOK!

It what could be called “joy” and “madness”, I found out this week that I joined Facebook more than a decade ago.

So, if you don’t follow me there, here were my thoughts on my eleventh anniversary!

VOTING

Primaries and caucuses are taking places across the nation ahead of the 2020 presidential election in November, which I think will be Joe Biden and 45.

I love looking at polls and I trust them — for the most part.

However, I also know that polls mean nothing if people don’t get out and vote!

And, come November 3, 2020, if you want to make “that man” a one-term president (or if you support him), you have to VOTE!

“OZARK” 

Season three of one of the best shows on television is coming back later this month.

“Ozark” returns March 27th on Netflix and from the new trailer, it looks like this could be Laura Linney’s year for an Emmy win!

She was incredible in season two and I was hoping that she and Julia Garner would take home trophies.  Garner won in the Emmy’s supporting actress category.

THANKS NETFLIX!

But, before I can check out the new season of “Ozark” with the incredible Linney, season three of “The Crown”, season two of “Sex Education”, season two of “Mindhunter”, and the first season of “The Politician”, I now have to buy a new television!

Thanks a lot Netflix!

Last month, I was going to start binge-watching “The West Wing” and this is what greeted me!

On December 1, 2019, Netflix deemed my Samsung television, which I got in 2014, obsolete for its streaming service!

What a rip off!

“GASLIGHTER”

Last week, I talked about the new Lady Gaga single, “Stupid Love” (it debuted at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100), from her upcoming April 10th album, “Chromatica”.

Now, I’m excited to know what my second album that I’ll buy in 2020 will be and when.

“Gaslighter” is the new single and the title track from the Dixie Chicks’ new album that’ll drop May 1, 2020!

“Gaslighter” is actually getting country music airplay!  It debuted on the Billboard Country chart at #31 and moved to #20 in its second week!

That’s their biggest hit at country radio since “Travelin’ Soldier” hit #1 in early 2003, about the time that Natalie Maines’ comments about President George W. Bush and the Iraqi War got the Chicks banned from country radio!

Their last album, “Taking The Long Way”, came out in May 2006, and it won the Grammy Award for “Album of the Year” and “Best Country Album”.

The Dixie Chicks’ last hit song was 2006’s “Not Ready To Make Nice”, which reached #4 on the Hot 100.

It went on to win three Grammy Awards — “Record of the Year”, “Song of the Year”, and “Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals”, in 2007!

“KNIVES OUT”

If you like whodunit movies, you’ll like this mystery comedy.

The all-star cast includes Jamie Lee Curtis, Chris Evans, Daniel Craig, Toni Collette, Christopher Plummer, and Don Johnson.

The first half of the movie features some very humorous scenes as the story was set up.  Collette was especially funny.

I figured out early on who was likely the killer.  From that point on, the movie started to drag.  (Oh, I was correct!).

GRADE: B

PURGING MY CD & MOVIE COLLECTION

For months now, I’ve been purging my CD and movie collection.

I started listening to CDs that I liked at one time in my life, but I’d never say, “I want to listen to <insert album title here>.  I had about one thousand CDs and now it’s down to about 425 essentials that I don’t want to part with.

With my movies, I’m watching older ones, some of which didn’t become one of “my favorites”, and I’m getting rid of them.

Until recently, only three of them made the cut and I put them back on the shelf.

I kept the 2012 Spanish movie “Angels of Sex” (“El Sexo de los Ángeles”), the 2008 Israeli film “Antarctica”, and the 2010 American romantic comedy, “Is It Just Me?”.

“LEMON TREE”

This past week, I added three more “keepers”.

The first is the 2008 Israeli drama, “Lemon Tree”.

Hiam Abbass is heartbreaking and stunning!  She plays Salma, a widowed Palestinian woman fighting to keep the Israeli government from cutting down her lemon grove, which was planted by her late father decades ago.

It becomes a security risk when the Israeli Defense Minister and his wife, Mira, (a moving performance by Rona Lipaz-Michael) move next door.

“PATRIK 1.5”

Another was the very touching 2008 Swedish film, “Patrik 1.5”.

It stars one of the sexy Skarsgard brothers (no, not Alexander from “True Blood” and “Big Little Lies” and not creepy Bill (Pennywise in the new “It” movie series).

Gustaf Skarsgard is the lead in this comedy-drama.

His Göran Skoogh in “Patrik 1.5” would make the perfect husband! 🙂

“SOLO”

And, the final keeper, is “Solo”.

Even though this Argentinean movie came out in 2013, it speaks volumes about today’s dating and app hook-up scene!

You never really know who you’re meeting or hooking up with and what could happen!

Manuel (Patrico Ramos) and Julio (Mario Veron) finally decide to meet after chatting online for a while.

Once they meet, Julio tells Manuel, “There are really bad people round there. They say one thing and they mean another. You never know who you’re dealing with. You don’t even know who you’re bringing into your home.”

“TRANSAMERICA”

I also watched the incredible “Transamerica” with Oscar nominee Felicity Huffman and the adorably sexy Kevin Zegers.

While still a very fulfilling movie, so much has changed since it came out in 2005.

After the groundbreaking television series “Pose” and “Transparent”, I couldn’t imagine a movie made today about a trans woman that WOULD NOT be played by a real trans actress!

“GIRLS NIGHT OUT”

Debbie Gibson, one of my favorite artists of the 1980s, is back with a huge club hit!

“Girls Night Out” (Tracy Young Radio Remix) is currently at #4 on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart.

In 2019, Tracy Young scored back-to-back chart toppers on the the Dance Club Songs chart with Madonna’s “I Rise” and “Crave”.  (Young won a Grammy Award for the “I Rise” remix!)

From 1986 to early 1991, Gibson scored nine hits on the Billboard Hot 100.

Of those, five reached the Top Ten, including the #1 hits, “Foolish Beat” (1988) and “Lost in Your Eyes” (1989, three weeks at #1).

When “Foolish Beat” topped the chart in the summer of 1988, Debbie became youngest person to write, produce, and perform a number-one single entirely on her own, at age 17!!!

“Only In My Dreams”, Debbie’s first hit in 1987 that reached #4, is still one of my all-time favorites!

“ICE BOUND:  A DOCTOR’S INCREDIBLE BATTLE FOR SURVIVAL AT THE SOUTH POLE”

This 2001 book is about Dr. Jerri Nielsen, an Ohio doctor that took a year off from medicine to find herself by “wintering” in Antarctica with 40 others.

Just a few months into her one-year stay, she found a lump in her breast.

This book is the story of how she and her new friends, “winterovers”, worked via satellite and computers in the harsh -100° weather and months of complete darkness to keep her alive.

This lasted for eight months before the weather finally broke and she could be rescued and brought back to the U.S. for surgery in the fall of 1998.

In 2000, while I was an anchor and reporter in Mansfield, Ohio, I interviewed Dr. Nielsen.  Twenty years later, I have no clue what about!  Maybe it was about her recovery?

Dr. Nielsen was a cancer survivor for over a decade before she died in the summer of 2009.

THAT’S IT

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

Anthony

Movies To Rent & Two To Skip

It’s the middle of December and I still haven’t been to the movie theater yet!  However, I’m planning on it this weekend and it’s not “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”.  Yeah, I finally get to have movie popcorn!

If you’re done with your holiday shopping and you’re going to rent movies, I have five suggestions and two to skip.

“TRAINWRECK”

I’ll admit upfront that I was not a fan of Amy Schumer and all of the press she gets.  The sad thing is that I had not watched any of her stuff and that’s where I was wrong.

In this comedy, which she wrote, the stand-up comedian, television star, and Madonna’s opening act, can now add movie star and Golden Globes and Critics’ Choice award nominee to her resume.

She had me laughing my butt off as a hard drinking, pot smoking, and lover of one-night stands.  Oh, she was a magazine writer that ends up falling for a subject of one of her stories, too.

Oscar winner Tilda Swinton is unrecognizable in this movie.  I’ve blogged about her appearance before and will share the amazing result again.

It’s also pretty cool that Swinton co-stars, again, in this movie, with her on-screen son in the incredibly insane, “We Need To Talk About Kevin”, Ezra Miller, which was my third favorite movie in 2012.

Another standout in “Trainwreck” is NBA basketball icon LeBron James, who is hilarious and definitely has comedic chops.

The movie also stars Bill Hader and Brie Larson, who’s garnering a lot of Oscar buzz now for her role in “Room”.

After seeing Schumer in this great comedy, I’m going to have to check out her Emmy-winning series, “Inside Amy Schumer”!

GRADE:  A-

“BEASTS OF NO NATION”

This war drama is already racking up nominations and is getting Oscar buzz.

Star Idris Elba recently got both Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild nominations as the leader of a rebel group fighting a civil war in Africa with child soldiers.

Teenage actor Abraham Attah, who plays Agu, has already won the Marcello Mastroianni’s Best Young Actor Award at the 72nd Annual Venice International Film Festival and could become one of the youngest actors nominated for an Academy Award.

Very powerful movie of a sad situation.

GRADE:  B+

“INSIDE OUT”

This 2015 summer blockbuster which earned $851.6 million dollars is one of the best recent Pixar/Disney movies.

It focuses on the emotions (Joy, Sadness, Fear, Disgust, and Anger) in the mind that manages the life of Midwestern-born 11-year-old Riley as her family moves across to the country to San Francisco.

Amy Poehler voices Joy, but it’s Phyllis Smith’s Sadness that steals the spotlight in the movie.

While a kid’s movie, grown-ups can definitely relate and enjoy.

GRADE:  B

“JURASSIC WORLD”

Full disclosure here — although the Jurassic Park series started back in 1993, I’ve never seen any of the movies.

The only reason I wanted to check out this fourth movie in the series is Chris Pratt in all of his hotness.  Okay, Bryce Dallas Howard is pretty cute, too.

I’ll keep this short because the movie has already brought in $1.67 billion worldwide and $652.3 million of that was here in the U.S. making it biggest movie of 2015!  So, everyone and their mother has likely already seen it.

A new theme park is opening on the Pacific coast of Central America and the park has been genetically modifying dinosaurs to make the park a bigger draw.  Of course, nothing could possibly go wrong! 🙂

“World” was rather entertaining until a scene toward the end with Howard’s assistant that made the movie feel very cheap like “Sharknado”! Because of that stunt, I dropped the final grade!

GRADE:  B-

“VACATION”

In my last movie review blog, I took a chance on Melissa McCarthy’s “Spy” and really enjoyed it.  I had low expectations and was surprised.

I went into the new “Vacation” movie with Ed Helms and Christina Applegate not expecting too much more than the funny scenes in the trailer.

It was enjoyable and risque, especially watching it with your 14-year-old daughter. 🙂

The real star of the movie was Kevin, Rusty Griswold’s annoying and mean youngest son, played by Steele Stebbins.

Also, for reasons I won’t write here, Chris Hemsworth’s NRA card-carrying Texas television weatherman was hilarious.  No, it’s not the fact that he is “People” magazine’s “Sexiest Man Alive”.  Watching the trailer, the joke is rather evident — like, in your face!

WARNING:  THIS IS RED BAND TRAILER (DEFINITELY RATED “R”)

GRADE:  B

“SOUTHPAW”

If given a choice of movies, my first choice would not be a sports-themed motion pictures.  However, I love “Bull Durham” (baseball), “Wimbledon” (tennis), “The Cutting Edge” (ice skating), and a few more.

The main draw for me on this boxing movie was director Antoine Fuqua (“Training Day” and “Brooklyn’s Finest”) and star Jake Gyllenhaal.

It’s a story of loss and redemption even though I won’t say what.

The movie also stars the amazing Forest Whitaker and the always entertaining Rachel McAdams.

GRADE:  B

“THE HUNGER GAMES:  MOCKINGJAY — PART 1”

This part will be short.  I enjoyed “The Hunger Games” and “The Hunger Games:  Catching Fire”.

Then, something happened.

Divergent came along and I switched teams!

I lost all interest in “The Hunger Games” series even though I love Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, and Liam Hemsworth.

I suffered through “Mockingjay – Part 1” and it definitely felt like filler. When “Part 2” comes out on DVD in 2016, I’ll watch it and I’m sure it will surpass this dud!

GRADE:  C

“RICKI AND THE FLASH”

I love Meryl Streep and can watch her all day.  As a matter of fact, I could watch “Mamma Mia”, “Julie & Julia”, “The Iron Lady”, and “August: Osage County” on repeat.

But, once was enough with this one.

Mamie Gummer, Streep’s real-life daughter, is the highlight of this movie.

Streep plays an aging rock singer that left her family with hopes and dreams of being a music superstar which never happened.

GRADE:  C 

Anthony

“Coached” (Sort Of) Apology — Save Your Breath!

Do you know Rajon Rondo?

No?  Don’t feel bad. I didn’t know who he was until the other night.

Professionally, he’s a basketball player for the NBA’s Sacramento Kings and he played college ball at the University of Kentucky.  As a die-hard Wildcats fan since childhood, this saddens me.

Earlier in the month, in Mexico City, Rondo was ejected from the game by referee Bill Kennedy.

Before he left, Rondo stalked Kennedy on the court and called the referee a “motherf–king faggot”.

Since that night, Kennedy has come out as gay and Rondo was suspended for a game, which means he’ll lose $86,300.

On his Twitter feed, Rondo posted this:

First, I bet he was coached into saying those sweet little words of apology as damage control.

But, more importantly, let me say this to Rondo, his fans that support his actions, and people who use that language.

As a member of the LGBT community, if you call someone a “faggot” or a “motherf–king faggot”, you clearly mean it in a derogatory way.  Those are not words that are sugar-coated.  They’re offensive.

To Rondo and people like him — he’s not the first and he won’t be the last to pop off at the mouth and then say “sorry” — get a dictionary and learn some new words or educate yourself.

If you’re frustrated or emotional and you have to vent, just call someone an “asshole” — because you clearly know what that word means!

See, that’s me being emotional without calling you something truly offensive.

Anthony

Random Friday Thoughts — May 2, 2014

It’s hard to believe that one-third of 2014 is already behind us.  Getting older is for the birds!

I hope you have great weekend plans.  We’re having some friends over for dinner Saturday night and I plan on taking it easy Sunday.  Have a great weekend and thank you for checking out my “Random Friday Thoughts”.

DONALD STERLING’S STUPID COMMENT

The National Basketball Association (NBA) has handed down a stiff penalty to 80-year-old Donald Sterling, the owner of the Los Angeles Clippers after it confirmed that it was Sterling’s voice making racist comments to a girlfriend on tape.

Sterling was fined $2.5 million and was banned for life from the NBA, which means he cannot attend any NBA games, enter any Clippers facility, or take part in any business decisions for the Clippers.  He may also be forced to sell the team, which is worth about $575 million.

This latest controversy started after a recording of Sterling telling his girlfriend, Vivian Stiviano, “It bothers me a lot that you want to broadcast that you’re associating with black people”, after Stiviano, who is bi-racial, posted a picture of herself with former NBA star Magic Johnson.

But, what gets me is not the fact that Sterling is a racist (he’s proven that many times in the past) is that his wife, Rochelle (Shelley), says he’s not a racist.

Wait, his wife?  Sterling has been married to her since 1955, almost 50 years, yet he has this young girlfriend and in 2003, he was sued by another girlfriend, that he summed up as just a “prostitute” and that their relationship was “purely sex for money”.  Needless to say, that woman, Alexandra Castro, won the lawsuit and kept the house.

I don’t want to judge Sterling and his wife and their relationship if it’s open, that’s their business.  But, for these other women to think they have something real with him.  Seriously!

SADLY, IN KENTUCKY…

I was born and raised in Kentucky and just like any other place, I know there are good people there and we have our own fair share of close-minded idiots.

For instance, there’s Herald Embroidery in Oak Grove, Kentucky, which is just minutes away from Fort Campbell, Kentucky, where the 101st Airborne Division is located.

This is the door to the business.  Obviously, if you’re religious or carry a gun, you’re welcome in the store.  However, don’t cuss or be gay.  If so, you’re not welcome.

After a lesbian couple posted a review on the company’s Google page about them not being welcomed there, “Instinct”, a gay magazine contacted the owner of the shop, Matthew Lombard, and he stood by the stickers on the door.

However, on the print shop’s website, there’s a “clarification”.  (If you have to click on this picture insert, just hit the back arrow when you’re done reading it to return to the blog.)

Now, at the bottom of the home page of their website is this, “Due to overwhelming media attention we will not be accepting phone calls at this time.”

My sister, Tammy, used to live in Oak Grove, which is just outside of Clarksville, Tennessee, too, where she spent many years.

While we enjoyed the Waffle House in Oak Grove last December, it’s a good thing that I didn’t have a reason to do business with Herald Embroidery!

JAPAN’S AWESOME FIRST LADY

Kudos to Akie Abe for taking part in Tokyo’s gay pride parade last weekend along with a crowd of about 3,000 people.

On her Facebook page, along with fun pictures of the parade, the First Lady of Japan stated, “I want to help build a society where anyone can conduct happy, enriched lives without facing discrimination.  I had the pleasure of spending fun time filled with smiles.”

I want to help build a society where anyone can conduct happy, enriched lives without facing discrimination – See more at: http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/japan%E2%80%99s-first-lady-joins-crowds-tokyo-gay-pride-parade270414#sthash.WnjzcF4P.dpuf

I want to help build a society where anyone can conduct happy, enriched lives without facing discrimination – See more at: http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/japan%E2%80%99s-first-lady-joins-crowds-tokyo-gay-pride-parade270414#sthash.WnjzcF4P.dpuf

I want to help build a society where anyone can conduct happy, enriched lives without facing discrimination – See more at: http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/japan%E2%80%99s-first-lady-joins-crowds-tokyo-gay-pride-parade270414#sthash.WnjzcF4P.dpuf

Her husband, conservative Prime Minister Shinzo Abo, did not attend the parade.  He visited victims of 2011’s tsunami.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

“PHILOMENA”

I finally got around to seeing the Oscar-nominated British film, “Philomena”, last weekend and it was incredible.

The movie is based on a real-life story of Philomena Lee, a teenager who becomes pregnant and is sent off to an Abbey in Ireland by her father to have the child.  After bonding with the little boy, Anthony, for a few years, he is adopted by an American family.

Lee, played with perfection by Judi Dench, who earned a Best Actress nomination at this year’s Oscars, waits 50 years before sharing her daily torment with her grown daughter.  The daughter just happens to meet a reporter who helps Philomena find her son.

“Philomena” will make you laugh and cry.  It’s a must see.

GRADE:  A+

And, here is the real Philomena Lee with her daughter, Jane, in 2013.

RICKY MARTIN SHARES ALL

In  2010, Ricky Martin released his autobiography, “Me”.

It was a great read with Ricky taking us on a ride of his life from Menudo to “General Hospital” to selling out arenas around the world.

He also talks about coming out and starting his family.

I blogged about it earlier this week, so here’s the link if you’d like to know more about the sexy, Latin sensation and how he works to make the world a better place when he’s not singing.

https://anthonypeoples.wordpress.com/2014/04/29/me-personifies-ricky-martins-compassionate-life/

“THE FOLLOWING” SEASON FINALE

My Monday nights are free again until the end of June when the second season of “Under The Dome” returns on CBS.

This past Monday night was the exciting second season finale of “The Following” on Fox.  It was definitely one of the better episodes this season, which was uneven, at times.

I’m still in shock of the death of a major character in the episode before the finale.

About the finale, it kept me on the edge of the couch trying to figure out how it would end with each new plot twist.  Here’s a mild “spoiler alert”.  I’m going to mention an overall scene, but I won’t mention any names.

My biggest complaint about the last few minutes of the season finale is that you had seven major characters in the room with several guns drawn and, at least, two knives AND the casualty count is ONLY one!!!

However, I was sitting there screaming “shoot him”, “shoot him”, repeatedly in the final moments of that big scene.

Overall, a great ending to the season.  Season three returns in early 2015!

“UNDER THE DOME”

Since I mentioned “Under The Dome”, I want to share this new trailer for season two that came out this week.

While the promo tells us that two lead characters will die in the season premiere, executive director Neal Baer does go on to say that Barbie and Big Jim will survive  —  for a few more episodes, at least.

Season two, written and directed by Stephen King, returns Monday, June 30th, on CBS.

“I’M A LITTLE BIT COUNTRY”

In my weekly flashback this year, I’m focusing on my favorite country songs and the artists that I grew listening to or that I love now.

I met LeAnn Rimes in Salisbury, Maryland, in the fall of 2005.  She was very sweet.

While she has been performing since she was a little girl, she blasted onto the country music scene with her Top Ten hit, “Blue”, in the summer of 1996.  The follow-up single, “One Way Ticket (Because I Can)”, topped the chart and would become her only number one song on the Billboard Country chart.

She charted 17 hits on the Country chart with 12 of them reaching the Top Ten, including this one from 2005.  “Something’s Gotta Give” reached #2.

Along with her country albums, LeAnn also released two great pop albums, “Twisted Angel” (2002) and “Whatever We Wanna” (2006).  I love both of them, but, sadly, they didn’t do much for her crossover to pop domination.

However, she did chart nine hits on the Billboard Hot 100 with “How Do I Live” spending 69 weeks on that chart, which was a record, at the time, in the late-1990s.  That song sold more than three million copies.

Another one of my favorite LeAnn Rimes’ songs is the last single released from “This Woman” in late 2005.  Sadly, “Some People” only reached #34 on the Country charts.

Although this long winter is just now ending and Christmas is a still about eight months away, it’s never too early to start thinking about it!

These decorations are in the studio where LeAnn is recording her second Christmas album!  Her first, “What A Wonderful Life”, came out in October 2004.

‘Tis the season, early!

THAT’S IT

Thank you for checking out my random thoughts this week.  As always, I appreciate hearing your thoughts, whether you agree with some of my thoughts or not.

Have a great weekend.

Anthony