No cats or dogs have been seen falling today during all the rain that has dumped here in Southeast Texas. Funny though, I did wake up to rain falling this morning after dreaming about a cat playing with a mouse. It was not playing, as in, playing before the cat snuffs the life out of the little mouse. They were playing. La la. And no it wasn’t Tom and Jerry. After that, I dreamed of a rushing river from which a deranged man ran from its edge shouting: “It’s a river of blood!” Now, mind you, after I woke up I wasn’t disposed to having those thoughts in my mind so I kept singing Fats Domino’s “Valley of Tears” within my head. The song finally went away. But my head exploded.
No tears here. It has been raining almost like it is supposed to around these parts. We only had about 33 inches of rain in all of last year, which was about half of our yearly rainfall average. We were around that amount prior to this rainy spell. I would like to see the yearly average return, at the end of year but not at the end of July! Hurricane season isn’t even broken in for the year yet. I don’t have to farm or work construction or fight fires, the latter as I once did, in the rain. I do have to get in and out of my car at work frequently and this can literally be a pain, even without the rain due to spinal craziness in my lower back, but with the rain it is as well a figurative pain.
Right now things are pretty dry, or at least there is no rain. But the weather service and even the never-wrong TV meteorologists say more rain and T-storms can return after midnight. As J.J. Cale wrote, and sang, as well as Eric Clapton recorded: “After midnight, we’re going to shake your tambourine.” Whatever.
Today, for certain, I don’t feel particularly inspired. I guess that finally catches up with my not possessing s**tloads of inspiration. It’s hard to be inspiring.
Here are some interesting tidbits I found today: (Merriam-Webster Online says tidbitcomes from “tit” as in titmouse + bit.”) Hmmm. Just love ’em some titbits, even better than tater tits. Try ’em!
Where’s Junior Jackson?
U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., D-Illinois, is on medical leave from Congress but his folks are not saying what is wrong with him. That’s kind of odd. Immediately it would make one wonder if Jackson, son of the famous civil rights leader, has some serious social disease or AIDS or treatment for drug addiction or is having a head transplant. Sorry you are sick Junior but people can handle most anything unless you were brought into an ER with an animal as an appendage.
Get well congressman and please bring a written excuse.
Snobs? No snobs here. Move along, please.
Republican presidential candidate-almost-Mitt Romney was campaigning in Colorado with the event produced by a “Snob Productions.” This titbit from a story I read in The Pueblo Chieftan.
“The Daily Sentinel in Grand Junction (http://goo.gl/Zude2) reports that the company masked its trucks and dressed employees in shirts that didn’t bear the company logo. Company owner David Wall says he’s never had such a request.”
Well, at least Mitt didn’t put one of the production people into a kennel and strap it on top of his car.
Republicans know there is a snowball’s chance in Death Valley that their action will pass the Senate. Obama certainly won’t sign it.
I would think a time comes when one is long past symbolism and the circumstance turns into — especially with this case — official abuse. What have these dunderheads in Congress done since they took control of the House? They’ve screwed the American taxpayer, I’ll give them that. I have news for you. Congress, the House of Representative and the Senate, do not operate for free. If these fools are in the House, they should do something worthwhile. Thirty-three freaking times? House Republican leadership should all be booted out. They are robbing the citizenry blind. Malfeasance with a capital MAL, that rhymes with Pal and that stands for Pool. Read the Constitution.
“Each House may determine the rules of its proceedings, punish its members for disorderly behavior, and, with the concurrence of two thirds, expel a member. — Article I, Section V, U.S. Constitution ”
Trouser Talk
Finally, from Alexis Madrigal, senior editor at The Atlantic: An answer to that burning question, why do we wear pants?It turns out the reason is horses.
Seriously, I’ve never really thought about it. Except for Porky Pig. I always wondered why he wore a coat and bowtie with no pair of pants? It turns out the reason is horses. No, I just made that up.
Polls for the 2012 presidential race make me want to chop wood. Well, that is figuratively speaking. It has been a long time since I chopped any wood and if I have it my way it will be even longer before I do it again.
It’s just that polls drive me crazy or more accurately the stories written about polls drive me nuts. Take today, for instance. Here is a snapshot of “Polls Obama” on Google News, my trusty aggregator:
Yes, it is partly the Internet’s fault and my fault if this variety of polling results makes me a bit on the looney side. The Internet is a showcase for tons of news and partisan sites showing everything from the national take down to a precinct in Intercourse, Pa. It is my fault that I read these stories or at least the headlines and the lead.
Such variety of polls are, of course, nirvana for political junkies. To the serious political junkie putting all these pieces together into some electoral context is a Karl Rove-ish version of the board game “Risk.”
But here Schmoe is, that would be me, just trying to figure out where things stand overall. That is so because every freaking precinct in every freaking state isn’t of vital strategic importance when it comes to the Electoral College. Where I live is a good example. Yes, I live in one of the areas of Texas that has voted traditionally Democrat. Like elsewhere in this wonderful state with its misguided voters though, the Republicans are pushing their way in and trying to root out all the old Yellow Dogs, like me. Since Shrub Bush was first elected I have felt disenfranchised for pretty much every race above ticket of county judge. My vote for president means nothing.
My pocketbook is another story. Well, not my pocketbook. A guy asked me last week if he could borrow $10. I told him I don’t know ten people with a dollar. Or two people with a $5 bill either. Oh, I know you probably get tired of this, I certainly do, but you can go right here on this link and I can tell you how to send me money. I am in the process of putting a PayPal button on my blog for donations, but I am having a problem getting it up and running. How would your money be used? Oh, for things like … living. Times are harder than they’ve been in a long time and if you appreciate what you read here sometimes, even if you don’t appreciate it, you can go right here and I can tell you how to send me your money.
Obama’s people are wearing off on me, I suppose. Some of the e-mails I receive from the Obamas, and Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Joe Biden and George Clooney — they aren’t personal e-mails mind you — you would think Barack, Michelle and the girls are sitting in a dimly-lit White House making do another week on Beenie Weeniess and Shasta. And they always ask for another $3. “Just $3 more, Dick, and we can beat that old Republican money machine this month.” I doubt it. I doubt it because the Dems are always pleading poverty.
I’m glad I didn’t sign up for e-mail from the Romney people. Everybody wanting my money you would think I am Warren “Jimmy” Buffett.
But I am serious. Go here so you can send me $3. Just $3. A $3 bill. No don’t do that. I don’t need the Secret Service folks messing around here. But anything, a can of Beenie Weenies and a Shasta, even. No don’t do that. I’d hate to see Sasha and Malia go to bed hungry.
Oh my, what a day. I won’t go into detail. It involved two nights of bad sleeping. A messed-up schedule and a bit of methadone withdrawal from running out of my prescription about two days earlier.. That’s fixed now and back on track, or so I hope. I can’t complain about this weather. Our high was around 83 due to rain clouds hovering. Mr. Greg on the local Channel 6 weather says rain will be around all week. I trust him, for the most part, about as much as you can a TV weather guy that’s been around for 30 years. Still. I don’t have a problem with rainy week in the middle of July in Southeast Texas. Are you freaking kidding me? Who wouldn’t love 80-degree temps, 78 right now? And the rain, it’s not even of tropical origin. Yes, yes and some mo’ yes.
I got to cook something before I give out. Chicken-something. I just wanted to explain why I had nothing interesting or entertaining to write this afternoon. I am sure many will not care. It isn’t like I am a lock on writing something that will float your boat or comb your hare. But, hey, I have to write something. It’s my thing. This is it for today, friends and neighbors
Ga lee ! Dey be Cajun everywhere you see. Sho nuff!
Yes, it seems like cable TV found Cajun Man and Cajun Woman and Cajun Alligator and Cajun Cop and the whole shebang. It is astonishing the number of shows on TV now with “Cajun” in its name or is featuring those who live down in the bayou country.
You can find the Landrys clan, including Troy be say “Choot ’em.” He be talkin’ ’bout de alligator no? These are among the folks –including the Gator Queen Liz Cavalier — who work all day in the swamps chasing those alligator. Sometimes the plural get lost in the bayou, he. Dang, just found that pronoun we lost down in Bayou Loco. The “Swamp People” of which I speak can be found on the History Channel. What the show has to do with history, I haven’t a clue. If it was supposed to have a tie with history they could at least talk about the “stars’ ” ancestors and how they come to be where they are. It would probably be more interesting than chootin’ gator.
Also, the History Channel has “Cajun Pawn Stars.” I can see in some loose thread how this has something to do with history because some things pawned might or might not have a link to the past. Says the channel:
“In Cajun Pawn Stars, which puts a southern spin on History’s hit series Pawn Stars, a cast of quirky characters continues this age-old tradition. At the famed Silver Dollar Pawn & Jewelry Center in Alexandria, Louisiana, an eclectic array of historical merchandise is on display, with items ranging from vintage cars to firearms to livestock.”
Scenes of Beaumont, in Cajun Texas, are shown in Jennifer Love Hewitt’s Lifetime series “The Client List.” Jennifer might not be Cajun but with that rapidly vanishing cleavage, she can be Ukrainian if she wants.
While there may be more Cajun madness, don’t you know you have to include a cop show. Yes, “Cajun Justice.”This is on A & E and features the good folks of the Terrebone Parish Sheirff’s Department. The parish is located southwest of New Orleans and borders the Gulf of Mexico. Now this is Cajun Country. So far, the deputies have caught camp house burglars, a couple of guys drinking beer and releasing flares, and broke up a fight between shrimpers.
After BP flooded their land with oil, I am glad to see the Cajuns getting some recognition. But man, what about the rest of the Cajuns? I speak of those who reside in Cajun Texas, also known as Southeast Texas.
One cable show, CMT’s Gator 911, is based here in Beaumont. The show — with new episodes airing beginning July 14 — follows the exploits of folks from the Gator Country adventure park who rescue gators that show up in local folks’ swimming pools or in the back of their pickup trucks. Don’t have a gator in the back of your pickup truck? Get one! I don’t know if the show’s principal, Gary Saurage, is a Cajun but if he isn’t he should be made an honorary one.
Scenes from the sexy Lifetime night soap “The Client List” are filmed here in Beaumont, but mostly fleeting glances. The show’s main character, played by buxom Jennifer Love Hewitt, supposedly lives in Beaumont and commutes to her job in Sugar Land. I don’t think the actress, who grew up in the Waco-Temple area, is Cajun but I bet she could play a good one. With the expanding cleavage Jennifer Love Hewitt so often reveals on her show, who will notice what she says anyway?
Who knows what’s next if the cable executives mine the Cajun connection here in Southeast Texas, maybe Cajun Refinery Worker, or Cajun TV Weatherman or Cajun Texan Bait Shop Owner?
