Sticks

 We have 19 (F) degrees outside, and the expectations are for it to only get a few degrees warmer.  Tomorrow, things are going to heat up a bit, but then we're supposed to have flurries spreading through the area.  Warmer temps are only expected to arrive next week, then we should be up in the 40s (F).

Much was accomplished yesterday.  Normally, on Tuesdays, the day after I've worked for 3 days straight, some things get done, but many of the chores get put off until later in the week.  This was not the case yesterday.  I baked a loaf of bread, cleaned the tank in the living room, prepped 2 pounds of beef so I can make jerky, completed an upper body workout, and that's not all of it.  And last night, I got a really good night's sleep.  That doesn't happen all of the time.

This morning some gent from UGI (my gas company) is coming to change out my gas meter.  The one I have is old.  I don't know if the new one is going to be more accurate, or if it's just going to be a change of color.  Right now, the one in the basement is brown and tech who checked it out 3 months ago told me they don't use brown anymore.

Howie has learned a new game.  He brings a stick or leaf into the house every time he goes outside and then trades his little bit of detritus for a treat, usually a small piece of Puperoni or a biscuit.  I've been savings them because it is kind of cute.  This is what I've accumulated so far.  Today they get thrown out and we'll start again. 

So, Pete Hegseth was questioned by the Senate yesterday as part as his confirmation hearing to run the United States military.  The man is incompetent.  I'd say a majority of the US Senate knows this, however they will confirm him and put him in charge of the largest military force in the world because...?  They want to please the Orange Anus?  When civil unrest happens, and notice that I say when, not if, he will try and use our military to put it down.  I don't doubt that Americans will die.  At some point he will be removed from the position, perhaps by falling out a window.  I don't doubt that a year from now many who voted from Trump will deny doing so.  Wall Street hates chaos, and that is exactly what Hegseth will bring.  There's a good probability the economy will crash.  There are a number of hard line Republicans who hope this happens, believing they are going to rebuild the country the way they want.  That will never happen.  This will be their time of learning.

Hollywood Karma

This morning, as I was putting the dishes in the dishwasher, I started thinking about Karma.  This was not an isolated incident, I think about it quite a bit.  What goes around, comes around.  Some people think it's just God's intervention.  Me?  I believe it's life fixing mistakes.  And it's everywhere.  Even Hollywood has to deal with Karma.  Here's a good example.
In 2005 a little movie by the name of Brokeback Mountain was released.  People took a big step back because it was a gay love story.  They said it would never succeed.  This little movie went on to earn over 83 million at the box office.  It was nominated for 8 Oscars, winning 3, including one for Ang Lee as Best Director.  It lost the Best Picture Oscar to Crash.  One of those who didn't win was Heath Ledger, who was nominated for Best Actor.  He lost out to Phillip Seymour Hoffman, who won for playing Capote.  What really happened was that Hollywood made a mistake.
In 2008, after completing his scenes for The Dark Knight, Heath Ledger died of an accidental overdose, and his death made big, big news.  His performance was riveting, and, as a result, he was nominated for a 2nd Oscar.  His competition in the Best Supporting Actor category was... Phillip Seymour Hoffman.

Heath Leger was won the award posthumously.  People said Hollywood was fixing it's own mistake.  Actually, the Karma was just beginning.  Hoffman went on to earn 3 more nominations but went home empty handed each time.  In 2014 he, too, died of an accidental drug overdose.  While Ledger's overdose was attributed to accidentally mixing medication, Hoffman's was attributed to heroin.  Not only did Hoffman die of a heroin overdose, he was found with the needle still inserted into his vein.  For those who don't understand... that's some really, really bad Karma.

Karma is not about paying back, or getting even, it's about fixing mistakes.  This is life.  The problem with Hollywood is that it just doesn't learn.