The End is the End of an End

I was thinking of endings — you know, the end of an era, the final out in a World Series Game 7, the proverbial “end of my rope,” the closing of a powerful quotation, stuff like that.

We all know there are an infinite number of “ends,” but only a few registered recently in my early morning dream wanders, two standing out in my semi-stupor memories.

They are both inspired by today’s date, Dec. 7.

The first is the end of an era in 1941, when the U.S. peace exploded with the Japanese air attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. (Period, capitalized new sentence.)

On Dec. 8, the U.S. decisively committed to World War II. And we all know what’s happened since that day

The second “discussion” identifies celebrities appearing on U.S. Social Security Medical Helpline insurance commercials touting the Dec. 7, 2021 filing deadline.

[Above] Joe Namath (Star NFL QB) • George Foreman (heavyweight boxing champ)

[Below] Jimmy “J.J” Walker (“Dy-no-MITE!) • William Shatner (“Star Trek”)

TV is flooded with these, as we speak. Oh, and if you decide to call them, you are probably too late. But there’s always the new cycle in 2022.

Happy New Year!

The end.

Post-Thanksgiving Thoughts

Thanksgiving is … not necessarily for wishing others a “Happy Thanksgiving,” but more a time to reflect on how fortunate we all are.

You do realize, don’t you, that but for some strange modifications in our genes along the way, all we might be thankful for is our hairy bodies with four legs, two tails and tall trees that we can call our home. We are, after all, accidents that happened along the way. If nothing else, be thankful for that.

Thanksgiving has always been special for me. I shudder when someone wishes me a Happy Thanksgiving, as if the day is meant to experience nothing but a happy smile and gleeful heart. I’d rather they ask me to reflect on what’s good in my life and to be thankful for that.

So anyway, when someone wishes me a Happy Thanksgiving, I smile, and although my mouth says “And a Happy Thanksgiving to you,” my heart is telling them to be thankful.

Be happy, my friends. But most of all, be thankful. Because that’s what Thanksgiving is for.

Thank you.

Kitties Are Cute and ’Meme’rable

In my last blog post, I shared a baker’s dozen doggie memes with you. This time, I’m posting memes I created of our other favorite pet —kitty cats.

They’re just so gosh-darned cute. No wonder I’ve made 19 Facebook kitty memes during the past couple of months.

As usual, enjoy, and share if you like. Permission is not required, although acknowledgment is appreciated.

A Meme’s Best Friend is a Dog

Remember the saying, “A picture is worth a thousand words”? That works for an occasional blogger like me.

To illustrate, here are a baker’s dozen memes featuring man’s best friends — dogs. Therefore, my conclusion is that this blog post is worth at least 13,000 words.

Oh, and as usual, permission to use is unconditionally granted. Source citation is appreciated, but not required. ‘Nuff said. Enjoy!

Imprison the Elderly? Sure, Why Not?

I recently spent nearly three months at a physical therapy center after suffering a stroke that affected my left leg. While there, I felt well-cared for by the excellent staff.

Most of the 100 or so patients on the two therapy floors there were my age or older (read “elderly seniors”), so I can identify with both lists that follow.

Since returning home to in-home senior health care, a meme appeared on my Facebook page comparing seniors to criminals, and the treatment both groups would enjoy, if …

If we put the elderly in prison, they will get:

• A shower every day
• Video surveillance in case of problems
• Three meals a day
• Access to a library
• A computer
• A gym
• Doctors on site
• Free medication if needed

What should we do with criminals? Put them in homes, they’ll get:

• Cold meals
• Lights off at 7 p.m.
• Two showers a week
• A smaller room to live in
• A monthly room rent bill of $4,000

Think about it. Sure says a lot about our societal priorities, doesn’t it?

The Hirsute Heads of Baseball

As a decades-old fan of Major League Baseball, I’ve watched the ups and downs of the players’ facial hair.

When professional baseball was in its infancy, mustaches, particularly handle bars, were the norm. Yep, tip-curling handlebars and the like. More than anything other than the game itself, lip hair defined the sport’s image.

Then suddenly, following World War I, they were gone, Speculation is that the nasty monarchs and country leaders who were on the opposite side from the United States all had mustaches. And how could the All-American game endorse something like that?

Most sources I could find cite long-time American League catcher Wally Schang (Philadelphia Athletics, 1914) as the last player to sport facial hair. New rules were set by team owners about grooming; smooth faces were the norm from 1914 into the 1970s.

Then, during the 1971-72 offseason, Oakland Athletics’ all-world outfielder Reggie Jackson decided that he was going to do something different. A’s owner Charlie Finley didn’t like it. He had Athletics manager Dick Williams tell Reggie to shave, but Reggie told Williams where he could shove it.

So Finley engaged in some reverse psychology. He asked A’s pitchers Catfish Hunter, Rollie Fingers, Darold Knowles, and Bob Locker to all grow mustaches.

He even offered a cash incentive—$300—to any player who’d successfully grown a mustache by Father’s Day. The whole team joined in. Even manager Dick Williams grew one. The A’s came to be known as the “Mustache Gang.”

Today, well today, 50 years later, there are too many player beards to count. I’ve especially noticed this since the Covid pandemic started and barbershops were forced to close. But it never crossed my mind to write a blog post about it until I saw a Los Angeles Angels-Los Angeles Dodgers game on TV this summer.

Angels outfielder Brandon Marsh and Colorado Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon have the wildest head, face and neck hair of any MLB player I’ve ever seen. And I’ve seen thousands over the years, live and on TV.

I’m thinking of investing in razor blade and electric razor companies, preparing for the day when the trend reverses.

Where Hawaii Ranks 53

Hawaii scores very high on this selection of state rankings. Those of us who have lived and grown up here are some of the state’s top fans.

Best State in America (YouGov, 2021)

1. HAWAII
2. Colorado
3. Virginia
4. Nevada
5. North Carolina

Top 2021 Summer Vacation Destinations (Alliance Partners, 2021))

1. Orlando, Florida
2. MAUI, HAWAII
3. HONOLULU, HAWAII
4. Seattle, Washington
5. Anchorage, Alaska

Best beaches in the United States (TripAdvisor, 2021)

1. St. Peter Beach (St. Peter Beach, (FL)
2. KAANAPALI BEACH (LAHAINA, MAUI, HI)
3. Moonstone Beach (Cambria, CA)
4. WAILEA BEACH (WAILEA, MAUI, HI)
5. Cannon Beach (Cannon Beach, OR)

Most Expensive State to Live In (World Population Review, 2021)

1. HAWAII (Cost of Living index: 196.3)
2. District of Columbia (161.1)
3. California (138.5)
4. Oregon (138.6)
5. New York (134.7)

Happiest States in America (World Population Review, 2021)

1. HAWAII
2. Utah
3. Minnesota
4. New Jersey
5. Maryland

Mysterious Sparks

The sun’s a yellow star, they say, turning red at end of day, and every memory born and bred, nestles comfy in my bed.

Little events in my life sparkle occasionally in my memory, stimulating dreams at night, and recollections during the day.

The mini-memories would be significant if I could make them meaningful. But a good 90% of the time, they just faintly remind me of something or someone in the past, and I can’t consciously determine how they connect with my life.

For example, during my physical therapy one day, I had a half-second flash-vision of myself rolling a penny around in my mouth. I mean … eww. What’s that all about? In real life, I’d never do that. And I can’t think of any relationship it has with my real life—past or present.

Oh, and early one morning, a dream incident woke me up. I was scrolling through my Facebook news feed and thought I saw a diamond sparkling in the leaves of a forest screen I just passed. I scrolled back, found the picture, and totally failed trying to find the sparkle.

A dream interpreter would have a field day with me.

Irritating and/or Obnoxious

 I don’t watch many half-hour comedy, western, detective, or sci-fi television series these days, so I can’t really compare contemporary ones with those of the ‘60s, ‘70s and early ‘80s.

Why that early time period? Because I see them on MeTV, a habit I picked up during my stay at Kalakaua Gardens Rehab Center. They’re pretty much formulaic, with many recurring characterizations. 

The characterizations that stand out to me are the irritating and obnoxious ones. There are two types.

The first ones are usually minor side characters. They get on my nerves, and I think that if their personalities changed, it definitely would be for the better. In fact, if they disappeared completely, the series would be more enjoyable.

• Eddie Haskell (“Leave It to Beaver”): Theodore “Beaver” Cleaver’s brother Wally’s best friend.
• Eustace Haney (“Green Acres”): Dishonest Hooterville salesman.
• Charles O’Casey (“My Three Sons”): Live-in housekeeper “Uncle Charley.”

(Shudder … you know what I mean?)

The other group consists of major co-stars. These are a lot more tolerable as they are sidekicks and add a lot to the cast, and in fact, they’re often the focus of the episode.

• Festus Haggen (“Gunsmoke”): Marshall Matt Dillon’s deputy.
• Barney Fife (‘The Andy Griffith Show”): Sheriff Andy’s deputy. 
• Gunnery Sgt. Vince Carter (“Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.”): Pfc. Gomer Pyle’s drill instructor. 

Any thoughts are welcome.

MeTV’s Plethora of Medical Ads

Recently, I’ve spent several weeks in a hospital rehabilitating after suffering a stroke (still here as of this posting). I watched a lot of daytime television and all I can say is thank goodness for cable TV.

Two years ago, a friend told me about about MeTV (Saturday nights on the locaI ABC affiliate). She told me about “Svengoolie,” a weird character who hosted a two-hour show on Saturday night. His shtick is classic ‘50s-‘70s horror, monster, and sci-fi movies.

That made me a mini-MeTV fan. Then, while lying on my back in the hospital, I discovered the 24-hour MeTV Channel ‘way down among the triple-digit cable channels. Series galore! Westerns (e.g., “Gunsmoke”), detective (e.g., “Mannix”), crime (e.g., “In the Heat of the Night), comedies (e.g., “Leave It to Beaver”), varieties (e.g., “The Carol Burnett Show”), and more.

It took me back to my high school and college days. Save for live Los Angeles Dodgers games, it’s my in-room channel exclusively.

One thing surprised me — there are lots of pharmaceutical television commercials throughout the day. My conclusion: The pharmaceutical companies are catering to people more or less my age, who remember but haven’t watched these shows in years. And we are most likely to be affected by the medical problems that can be treated with the products.

With little to do, I took notes. I had heard of two; maybe you are familiar with more:

• Austedo (Deutetrabenazine): Unintentional movements
• Enbrel (Etanercept): Auto-immune diseases
• Entresto (Sacubitril /Valsartan): Heart failure
• Farxiga (Dapagliflozin): Type 2 diabetes
• Fasenra (Benralizumab): Asthma
• Jardiance (Empagliflozin): Type 2 diabetes
• Lynzess (Linaclotide): Constipation
• Neuriva (Phosphatidylserine): Brain supplement
• Nucala (Mepolizumab): Severe asthma
• Rybelsus (Semaglutide): Type 2 diabetes
• Skyrizi (Risankizumab): Psoriasis 
• Tepezza (Teprotumumab): Thyroid eye disease

I feel so much smarter now. Do you?