Small edit suggested for a great (as always) post: *North* Carolina, not South Carolina --says this lifelong Midwesterner who moved here a year ago and so must cling to the wins wherever we can get them. Woot!
Brilliant and tragic and hilarious as always. Happy Friday!
Also, I'm currently mid dissertation writing and the fact that you linked a research article this week has my heart all aflutter. I'm going to save and read about Collective Effervescence once I'm done with this and have time to connect with other humans again. 😂
Agreed that the pope is still the head of a highly patriarchal, misogynist, homophobic, and colonialist world religion, so he's already down a bunch of gold stars. But I just saw this morning that he's also of Black Creole descent and my little Southern heart just jumped right up, looked at this administration with a sly side-eye and thought, "Y'all about to find out."
have a teensy bit of nigerian ancestry myself so did a happy dance when i read that. so far i like what i am hearing about and from him. he's not perfect but, oh boy, this could have been a whole lot worse. i'm cautiously optimistic.
As a recovering Catholic I agree. Somewhat humorous that everyone's all American Pope when he's spent most of his time not here... It wasn't an accident that his first address was in italiano e español, no en inglés.
Waiting for him to walk up to bukele in el salvador and saying shut this down and send them home, stat. Fingers crossed he's a powerful force for good. Yes, it'd be nice if the church dropped their view of women from 1000+ years ago, but we take what we can get.
I love the image of deep dish communion wafers. I might have stayed a Catholic if that kind of option had been offered (Well, not really. Absolutely not. No chance in Hell).
The state capitals of Idaho and, oh my fucking God,* UTAH going Woke was NOT on my Bingo card, but here we are and it is at least a little bit glorious. I don’t hope that we’ll get their Electoral College votes any time soon, but this is a lovely development.
Having the Surgeon General NOT be a doctor is not. Any bets on how soon she removes the warning from packs of cigarettes?
*According my younger son’s liberal Mormon girlfriend and the Internet, Mormons believe that God was once a human who had a large family on his own planet so He got to run ours. That means ‘fucking God’ is not actually blasphemy but an accurate description. (I am hoping that everyone here understands my deeply twisted humor but if anyone is bothered by this comment I will deleted it.)
Sadly for all of us with "words are meaningful" expectations, it is less likely that a Librarian of Congress is an actual librarian than the surgeon general is a credentialed public health official.
Neither flavors of illogic are meant to excuse the other, to be sure, but how very reassuring to everyone who thought we bottomed out last week. Nope, still plummeting.
Pritzker and the Pope have given me more hope this week than I thought possible in 2025, and quite a bit of pride as a lifelong Chicagoan. Didn't think it was possible to have the good feels about a billionaire and the head of the Catholic Church, but here we are.
So glad the Means won Dingus. Mother Jones quoted her statement that “conditions like depression and schizophrenia” are “tied to poor gut bacteria,” adding that “researchers can identify a person with depression or schizophrenia just by analyzing their gut bacteria composition."
I’m 20 years older than you and a couple of weeks ago I went to see Dogstar at the Gallo Center in Modesto, CA. I was home by 9:30 and it was glorious.
I am old enough to be your father (barely), and I don't call myself "old" - just mature. I am working on a second master's degree (in electrical engineering), I plan to go to Disneyland for my birthday, and I turn 60 in October. I find the math for my classes is easier to do now that I'm older, and I also find my mind able to tackle more. A gentleman at work had retired as an engineer, didn't like being at home, and came back to work - he's 69 and working on a doctorate.
PS: When you first said "dry January" I thought you were referring to the dry Southern California weather this past January. Remember the fires? Yes, it was a "dry January." Disclaimer: I don't drink, so when my wife wants to go out drinking wine, I am her designated driver. We are a match made in heaven. (Literally: I was the organist/choirmaster of her church when we met - I got married at work.). I'm such a nerd!
First of all, why do we all know the Defenestration of Prague? Like as a collective, it’s this thing we know. I mean, I guess a political event where someone gets thrown out a window is remarkable. Also, there have been MULTIPLE defenestrations at Prague, and why do they have the monopoly on them? Bring Back Defenestrations!
Second, fingers crossed that we can have Woke Pope 2.0, but we’ll see. Time will tell.
Going to really loud music clubs and dancing with friends is a joy. And later in life, you have the chronic tinnitus to keep the memory alive (thanks, Meat Loaf).
Small edit suggested for a great (as always) post: *North* Carolina, not South Carolina --says this lifelong Midwesterner who moved here a year ago and so must cling to the wins wherever we can get them. Woot!
Changed!
Brilliant and tragic and hilarious as always. Happy Friday!
Also, I'm currently mid dissertation writing and the fact that you linked a research article this week has my heart all aflutter. I'm going to save and read about Collective Effervescence once I'm done with this and have time to connect with other humans again. 😂
Agreed that the pope is still the head of a highly patriarchal, misogynist, homophobic, and colonialist world religion, so he's already down a bunch of gold stars. But I just saw this morning that he's also of Black Creole descent and my little Southern heart just jumped right up, looked at this administration with a sly side-eye and thought, "Y'all about to find out."
I was terribly afraid that they'd appoint another Benedict....not a Catholic anymore but still. I am excited to see how the couch lover responds.
have a teensy bit of nigerian ancestry myself so did a happy dance when i read that. so far i like what i am hearing about and from him. he's not perfect but, oh boy, this could have been a whole lot worse. i'm cautiously optimistic.
Yes! He contains multitudes. We can work on the rest - plus we have been pro-choice in the face of anti-popes for decades, so no big.
As a recovering Catholic I agree. Somewhat humorous that everyone's all American Pope when he's spent most of his time not here... It wasn't an accident that his first address was in italiano e español, no en inglés.
Waiting for him to walk up to bukele in el salvador and saying shut this down and send them home, stat. Fingers crossed he's a powerful force for good. Yes, it'd be nice if the church dropped their view of women from 1000+ years ago, but we take what we can get.
I love the image of deep dish communion wafers. I might have stayed a Catholic if that kind of option had been offered (Well, not really. Absolutely not. No chance in Hell).
And they fired Carla Hayden librarian at the Library of Congress! Ugh…
The love that High Fructose Corn Sweat receives from this reader community is a perpetual good thing. Happy Friday y'all!
Gabes is a sacred place. I'm so glad you got to be part of the throng there!
The state capitals of Idaho and, oh my fucking God,* UTAH going Woke was NOT on my Bingo card, but here we are and it is at least a little bit glorious. I don’t hope that we’ll get their Electoral College votes any time soon, but this is a lovely development.
Having the Surgeon General NOT be a doctor is not. Any bets on how soon she removes the warning from packs of cigarettes?
*According my younger son’s liberal Mormon girlfriend and the Internet, Mormons believe that God was once a human who had a large family on his own planet so He got to run ours. That means ‘fucking God’ is not actually blasphemy but an accurate description. (I am hoping that everyone here understands my deeply twisted humor but if anyone is bothered by this comment I will deleted it.)
Sadly for all of us with "words are meaningful" expectations, it is less likely that a Librarian of Congress is an actual librarian than the surgeon general is a credentialed public health official.
Neither flavors of illogic are meant to excuse the other, to be sure, but how very reassuring to everyone who thought we bottomed out last week. Nope, still plummeting.
Pritzker and the Pope have given me more hope this week than I thought possible in 2025, and quite a bit of pride as a lifelong Chicagoan. Didn't think it was possible to have the good feels about a billionaire and the head of the Catholic Church, but here we are.
Saw someone comment on Threads that they were afraid Dr. Janette Nesheiwat's nomination was withdrawn because she actually supports vaccines.
So glad the Means won Dingus. Mother Jones quoted her statement that “conditions like depression and schizophrenia” are “tied to poor gut bacteria,” adding that “researchers can identify a person with depression or schizophrenia just by analyzing their gut bacteria composition."
what a Grifter
I’m 20 years older than you and a couple of weeks ago I went to see Dogstar at the Gallo Center in Modesto, CA. I was home by 9:30 and it was glorious.
Gabe's on a Tuesday in your 40s is bold! I hope you've recovered!
I am old enough to be your father (barely), and I don't call myself "old" - just mature. I am working on a second master's degree (in electrical engineering), I plan to go to Disneyland for my birthday, and I turn 60 in October. I find the math for my classes is easier to do now that I'm older, and I also find my mind able to tackle more. A gentleman at work had retired as an engineer, didn't like being at home, and came back to work - he's 69 and working on a doctorate.
PS: When you first said "dry January" I thought you were referring to the dry Southern California weather this past January. Remember the fires? Yes, it was a "dry January." Disclaimer: I don't drink, so when my wife wants to go out drinking wine, I am her designated driver. We are a match made in heaven. (Literally: I was the organist/choirmaster of her church when we met - I got married at work.). I'm such a nerd!
First of all, why do we all know the Defenestration of Prague? Like as a collective, it’s this thing we know. I mean, I guess a political event where someone gets thrown out a window is remarkable. Also, there have been MULTIPLE defenestrations at Prague, and why do they have the monopoly on them? Bring Back Defenestrations!
Second, fingers crossed that we can have Woke Pope 2.0, but we’ll see. Time will tell.
This Jew, with a paltry recollection of religious history, needs to know more abt this taking of windows(?)!
Wikipedia has the best (most succinct) info: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defenestrations_of_Prague
By and large, “we” remember the 3rd defenestration because it was the start of the 30 Years War.
Going to really loud music clubs and dancing with friends is a joy. And later in life, you have the chronic tinnitus to keep the memory alive (thanks, Meat Loaf).
Ear plugs required for me to survive anything more than unmiked acoustic guitar these days.