Monday Musings...

Welcome to a brand spanking new year. Still seems like the old one (to me).
But, all those calendars I put up yesterday tell me otherwise.
And, we all have to get used to typing or writing 2017, instead of 2016 (like on checks and such)
Our Hoosierland weather for today will have us not freezing our asses off (that's later in the week), as temps climb to the low 40s, with mostly cloudy skies and mild winds.
Rain comes in by evening and hangs around until early tomorrow.
There is also no mail today, as the feds get the day off because New Year's Day came on a Sunday, and our local trash/recycle will be a day late as well, so take note.
Now, let's get a cup of something with caffeine in it to help wake us all the hell up, as we see what's been going on since last year...
*** First off of the runway is (since I heard nothing about anyone wanting me to stop doing it) our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
JANUARY 2 -
---Today is National Buffet Day

(cripes, we've got leftovers from Christmas and New Years still...our OWN buffet)
---It's National Cream Puff Day

(we are talking about the yummy PASTRY, and not the wussified sheeple of this country)
---It's National Personal Trainer Day

(I'm aware I don't want one...does that count?)
---It's National Science Fiction Day

(always a personal favorite of mine)
---And, it's National Thank God It's Monday Day

(Can we bitch-slap the person who thought THIS one up?)
*** Next up, it wasn't a BAD New Year for us at the "Fortress".

I was concerned that the "celebratory" shenanigans outside would bother the cats...it didn't.
In fact, Wifey and I heard LESS noise than in years past...a portent to better times?
Well, let's not put the cart before the horse on that one.
Let's just say that the amount of gunfire was less, and seemed to be farther away (which beats hearing it right outside one's windows any day).

Wifey wanted to watch CNN to ring in 2017, and for me, I don't really care. There's no Guy Lombardo anymore (I am dating myself), and Dick Clark is gone. I also don't get into the whole mini-concerts thing, like damn near every channel had...just drop the ball and get it over with.
We DID have our OWN ball drop (sounds like a serious medical condition) here in Ft. Wayne (downtown, naturally).
About 4000 people showed up.
Why did this city even DO such a thing, anyway?

Oh, that's right...we're trying to be like OTHER cities. Let's not try to be like Chicago and their 762 HOMICIDES for 2016, of which was included over 3500 people shot along the way. They haven't had numbers like that since over 20 years ago. Guess everything that goes around, comes around, sooner or later.
Fort Wayne had a record number of homicides (48) last year, and here are some stories that reflected the concern.
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/police-fire/A-close-to-city-s-deadliest-year-17021071
And this story which provides a map and list of the homicides:
http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/2016-homicides-17022065

What I found odd, was that over on WANE, the record homicide rate ONLY made it to #5 on the top 15 stories for 2016. Sports ranked HIGHER on the list (Cubs win and the Hoosier basketball win, which shows how people value "entertainment" over reality. Bread and Circuses, if you will.
*** Next up, how did WE here at the "Fortress" spend OUR weekend?

Oh, yes...we're STILL standing.

Well, on Friday, we had the pleasure of the company of Chris and Laurie, who stopped by to prove that there are STILL a couple of regular folks living on the SE side. It was a great way to kick off the weekend and a nice manner to send off last year. And if you think Chris knows MUSIC...you haven't chatted to him about COMICS. He puts me to shame! He can detail some of the most confusing storylines so that even I can understand it. Heckuva memory there.
Wifey and I had shopped for groceries earlier, so we had our Sunday dinner taken care of, as well as New Year's eve.
We got cocktail shrimp, cheese tray, and Asti Spumanti for the toast at midnight.
Not a big deal...just tradition for us.
Starting on the 31st, on the El Rey channel, I got to binge a bit on the old 1980s Knight Rider series (the days when we still had a car company named PONTIAC).

Yesterday, we had corned beef brisket (with carrots and potatoes cooked with it) and a multi-dessert event following.
And, you had a choice of continuing binging on Knight Rider, or you could flip over to BBC America and binge on Star Trek: Voyager.

We opted for Voyager. Been a while since it's been on - SYFY channel take note)
Wifey and I plan to take "the day off" today and just take it easy. She goes back to school on Thursday.
We do have some plans prior to that, but nothing extravagant.
TCM is launching their 31 Days of Oscar this month, which should be good to watch.
*** Next, let's stop on by "Kitten Corner"...

The kids were very well-behaved over the course of the year change.
We found them doing the usual kitten stuff - playing, running through the house like there's no tomorrow, and taking breaks to eat and nap. How they get so much energy into such small bodies amazes the hell outta me.

At least the "charm" of messing with the Christmas tree seems to be wearing off...just in time to take it down in a few days.
The kittens were also busy watching the birds and other "friends".

Patches the squirrel made sure to stop by yesterday to wish us a Happy New Year (and get some peanuts). Haven't seen any other cats come around, but I did see "Snowball" walking around the house across the street early on new Year's Eve, so we know he/she is still with us.
Our cats have taken to have a home quite well over the past month and a half, and are so quick to show affection (like my daily face-rub). I think we did well in choosing these two, and at the right time.
*** Last back to the hangar...I found out yesterday while surfing the web that Jerry Doyle passed away last July.

He had a conservative radio talk show, and was a star of the science-fiction series Babylon 5.
If I had known or heard about it, I would have posted it. What is really weird (to me) about Jerry's death, was that it happened on the SAME DAY (27 July) that I first posted about the cat who would come to be called "Hobo".

Helluva coincidence as far as I'm concerned.
Then I started searching for other guest stars from television series, and was surprised to learn who had passed, and why we never heard about it.
We lost more than we know.

ST: Generations borrowed part of this.

And that means that we should come to cherish the time we're all given, because we never know when that time will end...and would we even want to know?
I think we can all agree that TIME is the one commodity which we never truly appreciate.
We can't buy more of it, can't barter or trade it, but we can waste it.
We can't control it, slow it, halt it. or reverse it (at least not without a TARDIS).
But, we can make the most of it, when we choose to do so.
So, here's to 2017...and the time included therein.
Let's try our best to not let too much of it slip past us.

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