Monday Musings...

Welcome to very "soft" morning out here in the Heartland.
Not a heavy rain...just a steady one, which should be leaving us by this afternoon.
A marvelous way to enter the home-stretch of the Christmas season.
The rest of our Hoosierland weather will see us with above-average temps today, topping out in the upper 40s.
We might even get to see some sunshine by afternoon. You never can tell.
Now, what say we chase away the dampness with a nice warm cup of your favorite drink, as we see what else has been going on all over the place (well, maybe not ALL over)...
*** First off of the rain-slicked streets is our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
December 21 -
---It's NATIONAL FRENCH FRIED SHRIMP DAY

(bet'cha it wasn't even started in France)
---It's CROSSWORD PUZZLE DAY

(but ONLY if you're done shopping or are shut in)
---It's HUMBUG DAY

(So if you hear a bug humming, you might want to look into that)
---And, it's also PHINEAS FOGG WIN-A-WAGER DAY

(place your bets, please)
And there you are...tomorrow is the winter solstice and we've lots more things going on then.
*** Next up...the Lovely Mrs. Bobby G. is down in Vincennes until Wednesday, visiting her dad for the holidays (sure beats flying down to Texas), so we're in "Bachelor-Mode" here at the "Fortress".

Okay, so maybe I'm on my OWN?

Just the cat and myself (and plenty of ammo...lol).
And, as you might expect, I had a wonderful Marie Callender dinner (turkey with stuffing) yesterday evening (Chris can appreciate this), and then watched both of the (newer) Star Trek movies on TV.

Looks good, tastes good...not bad at all.

Before Wifey left, we made us a mess of gingerbread cookies, so any dessert issues have been properly remedied.
(they dunk REALLY well)
More sugar cookies will be forthcoming this week, as will some brownies.
Sure is nice to see the weather cooperate, too. I know I hate driving in crap weather (did that for a living...not so much fun in winter, trust me).
The only thing we're looking at is rain this week, with the chance of snow flurries at week's end. I do miss a white Christmas, but it's certainly not the FIRST time it's happened in my 63 years on this planet.
Probably won't be the last, either.
*** Next up, how best can you celebrate the holidays in Fort Wayne, especially when living on the SOUTHEAST SIDE of town?

Well, one way is to become HOMELESS at the hands of a driver under the influence,
Check this story out:
http://wane.com/2015/12/21/suv-goes-through-house-resident-a-little-shaken/

DEFINITELY left a mark!

This took place last night around 2300 hrs near the intersection of E. Rudisill and S. Anthony blvds.
Now, we always have our share of vehicles HITTING house around here (and if the police patrolled more, they'd probably catch a lot of these impeded drivers...hey, it's Christmas, I can wish).
In this case, the vehicle went THROUGH the house!
COMPLETELY THROUGH and into the back yard!
Naturally, police said that "speed was a factor"...well, DUH!
Gotta hand it to the new breed of law-enforcement - never at a loss when they need to OVERSTATE THE OBVIOUS!

Helluva park-job.

The homeowner took it well enough, but he is WITHOUT a home for the holiday (at least a good part of it).
I'm sure that's NOT how he expected Christmas to pan out. Say a prater for another innocent person in the SE who was a victim of the main reason that retail has shied away from here...the criminal element.
(a little too early to be that wasted and still be behind the wheel of any vehicle).
Makes you wonder when you always see people arrested and charged for DUI, and instead of being held for bond, they are "released on their own recognizance"...whatta load of bullshit. Turn 'em loose so they can do it AGAIN? Are you people downtown NUTS (apparently so). Tis the season?
*** Next up, a story about a Christmas-themed song and how it's being "perverted" into something OTHER than what the writer (Frank Loesser) intended.

Here's the story link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/us/Date-rape-associated-with-Christmas-song-10566784

This song has been covered over time by SO many since it was released in the 1940s, most recently the duo of Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga (a new Barnes and Noble commercial, and she DOES have a good voice after all, and CAN look gorgeous when she tries).
But, imagine that...a classic Christmastime song associated with date rape...???
Is THAT a "WTF?" moment or what?
Leave it to those at SNL to come up with something totally tasteless...goes to show the "new brand" of what is passing for COMEDY these days. God, how I miss the ORIGINAL cast members.
This was supposed to be a "parody" on the whole Bill Cosby date rape allegations.

Someone got their comedic signals crossed on this one. This is something that does NOT need to be made fun of...period.I don't think this will "stick", though, if people stop assigning media air time to tripe like this.
*** Next, I said last week that the new Star Wars flick would easily top $200 MILLION bucks this weekend...AND IT HAS (the Force is strong with this franchise).

Here's the story link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/entertainment/movies/-Force-Awakens--crosses--250M-globally-after-record-Friday-10563443
This is the BIGGEST opening weekend in national history, topping Jurassic World, and is set to beat the global record as well. Expectations are seen as close to TWO BILLION after it's initial run.

Many are going back to see it...much like the first movie all those years ago.
The first Star Wars movie (episode four) lasted in theaters for FORTY WEEKS, and that was with fewer screens (and LOWER prices).
*** Last back to the umbrella store...when it comes to today's society, we just LOVE to be entertained. In fact, we like that MORE than the daily drudgeries of life. We no longer seem to view being entertained as the DIVERSION it was meant to be, but rather something we all seem ENTITLED TO.
That's not how it should be viewed. We don't revolve our lives around the sphere of entertainment, or at least we SHOULD not. And there's one reason that stands part from the rest:
WE ALWAYS EXPECT MORE.
(sounds like an addict looking for that next FIX, doesn't it?)

More "Bread and Circuses".

When we become "addicted" to being entertained, the limits of HOW we wish to entertain ourselves are pushed beyond the reasonable. The boundaries we once stood behind are taken down, and our society runs rampant looking for the next "hot" item, whatever it might be.

Sadly, people will do damn near anything to sate their appetite for entertainment, and that can also encompass the realm of criminal activity...we see too much of that going on "just for kicks", as it were.
When people devote themselves to their passions instead of following ethical conduct, morality, and reason, we loose a large part of our humanity.

Everything has it's own place and time in our lives, and we need to know when and where on our list of priorities it belongs. And it's not as near the top as many would have us think.
We've so much more going on that needs attention. Leave the entertainment as a reward for getting that important stuff out of the way first, so it can mean more...an we can be appreciative when we indulge in it.

Be well, make a difference to someone, and...
Stay SAFE out there, America.