Random Friday Thoughts — February 6, 2026

It was great sharing some “Random Friday Thoughts” last week after a five-month absence. Let’s keep it going.

THANK YOU!

Hundreds of you actually checked them out. Thank you so much.

I started my blog in January 2012 to express myself (Thank you, too, Madonna!). It’s not because what I say will change the world, it’s therapeutic for me.

Writing and sharing balances me.

THAT DAMN RODENT

Groundhog Day was this past Monday, so if you believe that damn rodent like you believe the Farmer’s Almanac forecasts, we’re going to have six more weeks of winter.

Guess what! I checked the calendar and spring arrives on March 20th, so he’s sort of right. We have more than six more weeks of winter left! 🙂

SAD HEARING CATHERINE O’HARA DIED AT 71

The actress died last Friday of a rare congenital condition called dextrocardia with situs inversus (some organs are positioned in reverse in the body).

The Canadian actress will always be iconic as Kevin’s mother in the first two “Home Alone” movies.

And, then there’s “Schitt$ Creek”!

AND, THERE WAS ALSO DEMOND WILSON

An actor that was a staple of my childhood died last Friday, too.

Demond Wilson, who played Lamont Sanford, the son of Fred Sanford on the NBC sitcom “Sanford and Son” passed away at the age of 79.

He died of cancer at his home in Palm Springs, California.

NICKI MINAJ

The first time I saw Britney Spears in concert at Summerfest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in July 2011, her opening act was a relatively new rapper named Nicki Minaj.

She’d just scored her first hit album and mixtape and “Super Bass” was blowing up.

I enjoyed her performance and I’ve loved some of her songs over the years.

Well, that was then and this is now.

Back then, Minaj supported the LGBTQ and HIV/AIDS communities (or she pretended to). She was anti-Donald Trump (or she pretended to be).

During the pandemic, she began making anti-vaccination comments (just Google swollen testicles and try not to laugh).

And, now (recently), she’s become Trump’s Annie Wilkes.

Oops, I meant “#1 fan”. Those are her words.

But, that’s not why I’m talking about Minaj today (and I talked about her a lot — in a positive light — in the early years of my blog).

She’s now full anti-gay (or she always was)!

I don’t care one way or the other what you think of journalist Don Lemon or comedian Trevor Noah. It’s not even whether one (Lemon) is openly gay and the other (Noah) might be gay???

The turning point for me with Minaj is her utter disrespectful and homophobic tweets.

And, even Chrissy Teigen didn’t escape her recent rants.

Nicki, in a perfect world, your career would be over — if not now, hopefully in 2029.

Your fame is fleeting.

Allegedly

I MISS WALKING AND READING

When I lived in Decatur, many people knew me as not only the weather guy, but the man who walked around Lake Decatur reading a book.

Since moving to the Quad Cities in early November, the only walks I’ve done is with Miss Xanadu and a few on my own — but, no reading.

Until last Friday, I hadn’t read a book since leaving Central Illinois. And, by not walking eight miles or more a day (plus the holiday food), I’ve gained ten pounds. GRRR!!!

WHAT I’M READING NOW

I’m still on the waiting list for the first two books in the “Game Changers” series by Rachel Reid, which the hit television show “Heated Rivalry” is based on. (It’s about gay and bisexual people — don’t watch it Nicki!)

I was 8th in line for the first book and 24th in line for the second book! The first one is now on the way to me and I’m up to 11th on the list for the second one!

I’m now reading “107 Days” by former Vice President Kamala Harris about her 2024 run for the presidency.

The book opens with the day Harris got the call from President Joe Biden saying he wasn’t going to run for re-election and then goes into the campaign after Biden’s disastrous debate in late June.

“THE OTHER TWO”

This critically acclaimed comedy ran for three seasons.

The first ten episodes aired on Comedy Central in early 2019, with the second season in the summer of 2021 on HBO Max, and the third season on Max in 2023.  

“The Other Two” refers to Cary (Drew Tarver) and Brooke (Heléne Yorke) Dubek, millennial siblings, who are struggling professionally. Now they to deal with life in the shadow of their 13-year-old brother’s overnight internet fame as ChaseDreams.

I absolutely loved the first season with Cary, a struggling gay actor who goes from one humiliating audition to another and Brooke trying to figure exactly she can do in life.

Tarver is so adorable and Yorke is hilarious.

And, I loved Wanda Sykes as Shuli Kucerac, an executive at Chase’s record label.

My favorite character was Lance, Brooke’s sweet boyfriend. He’s played by the incredibly sexy Josh Segarra.

For me, the second season began to lose its way. As the three Dubek siblings struggle to find success and fame and keep it, their mother, Pat (Molly Shannon) became a huge television star with her own talk show, game show, and more.

I’m really beginning to question my ability to judge entertainment since I totally HATED the third season.* (See note on grade below!)

While the writing was great and the acting was superb, it made both Cary and Brooke (finally successful as an actor and an agent, respectively) totally unlikeable — I mean, despicable.

However, the third season was the most critically acclaimed with a 100% Rotten Tomatoes rating!!!

Molly Shannon was nominated twice for the Critics’ Choice Television Award (Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series). The second season was recognized by the Critics’ Choice with a nomination for “Best Comedy Series”.

And, Drew Tarver was nominated for a Primetime Emmy for Best Actor in the final season.

SEASON 1 — GRADE: B+

SEASON 2 — GRADE: C

SEASON 3 — GRADE: D+ (However, the series finale was perfect — A+!!!)

FURTHER CLOUDING MY JUDGEMENT

While talking about the last season of “The Other Two”, I said I’m questioning my ability to judge television and movies.

Another example is the critics and awards season darling, “One Battle After Another”.

While very timely with the current political environment, the almost three-hour movie was painful to watch. Sorry, Paul Thomas Anderson and Leonardo Di Caprio!

I just didn’t enjoy it although Sean Penn gave an incredible performance, for which he earned an Oscar nomination.

The movie is nominated for 12 other Academy Awards including three others for acting!

What do I know?

GRADE: C

NOW THIS IS FUNNY!

Social media can be so frustrating at times — well, a lot of the time.

But, it can be LOL funny, too — like this post.

And, you know I LOVE LOVE LOVE Madonna!

Now that I’m on the topic of Madonna, it makes me warm thinking we both share the love of Morocco!

Being a near billionaire, I know she experienced things there I could only dream of.

However, my magical evening in Marrakesh in October 2018 with my Filipino posse is one of my favorite dining experiences ever!

So, Madonna, now that you’ve enjoyed Morocco again, let’s drop the first single from the “Confessions on a Dance Floor” sequel!

“THE FIRST LADIES COOK BOOK”

This book subtitled, “Favorite Recipes of All The Presidents of the United States”, a 1965 book published for Parents’ Magazine Press, was so fascinating.

Ulysses S. Grant’s State Dinner of 29 courses: “In the beginning of the feast, fruits, flowers, and sweetmeats grace the table, whilst bread and butter only give a Spartan simplicity to the ‘first course’, which is composed of a French vegetable soup.”

The meal continues through the courses to the dessert of a rice pudding followed by canned peaches, pears, and quinces, then confectionery, nuts, ice cream, coffee, and chocolate.

ONE OF MY FAVORITE SONGS

Last week, I shared my favorite song now, “Cry For You” by Sidepiece.

Another one of my current favorite songs is the new release from Robyn.

I’ve enjoyed her music since 1997, when she scored two Top Ten hits in America, as a teenager. They were “Do You Know (What It Takes) and “Show Me Love”.

However, I’ve been a HUGE fan since she released, “Body Talk Pt 1” in 2010, which featured her international classic, “Dancing on My Own”.

Her latest is called “Dopamine” from her upcoming album, “Sexistential”, which is coming out March 27, 2026.

I love compiling lists and countdowns. I did one for my favorite songs of the the first 35 years of my life and I had so much fun with it.

It was so well received that I did one for the next era of my life, 1999-2021.

In that second era, “Dancing On My Own” was my favorite song!

THAT’S IT

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

Anthony