Purple Pain, Purple Pain

Ohhhh, Spike.

"I'm snake-bit. Every time someone's driving somebody, I lose," Lee said. He was drawing a parallel between "Green Book," about the real-life Southern journey of a white man driving African-American pianist Don Shirley, and the 1989 best-picture Oscar winner "Driving Miss Daisy," about a wealthy white woman and her black chauffeur. ~ Lynn Elber, Ap Television Writer

You test us, Spike. You really do. Can't you just be happy that another Black History story was told. And maybe just some of us (yes, us white folk) learned something we didn't know before.

I thought Green Book was a touching story. A story about a man, Don Shirley, that I had never heard about before. And he was a talent wasn't he? And a story of how many blacks survived the South in those awful days via aids such as the Green Book.

Ok, I am white, sorry, it wasn't a choice, just my life story. But I didn't see the movie as being about a black man being saved by a white man.

So relax, man. Let people tell their stories and you continue to tell yours. There is room here for all of them.

Maybe this is why Americans are loving the Great British Bake-Off so much. We like stories of support. We don't always have to be hating on each other.

Yeah, do the right thing.

Kraft Singles

American As Apple Pie

There has been a recent dust up following the Super Bowl, you might even call it a 'krafty' maneuver. It seems some elderly men got caught at an Asian Spa getting a special type of massage. Eighty bucks for a one-hour hand/mouth job. Sweet!

Now I have to say up-front I am not against prostitution. It is the oldest profession known to man and many formers have risen to high level positions. What could be more American than working your way to the top?

BUT, I am against human trafficking and the abduction of young girls for purposes of sex. These crimes should receive the harshest of penalties.

It is pretty well know that there is a spike in activity before major events like the Super Bowl. What I don't know is if there is a correlation between that and arrests. I think it is easier to turn a blind eye and let the games begin.

Nothing in recent reports indicates this incident involved young underage girls or girls brought into the business against their will. This I am sure will get sorted out.

I would be nice when you see the Super Bowl Trophy hoisted on high, that the hands holding it were those of honorable men and not sticky-fingered creeps.

You may now return to your regularly scheduled programming.

House Hunting California Style

A Former Nicolas Cage Home

In San Francisco

One thing that Nicolas Cage loves to do is to buy houses. No matter how many times he has been burnt he just can't stop himself. Maybe one day he will write a book about the various homes he has owned, I know I would find it interesting.

Anyway my granddaughter decided to try out California Living. She lives on the Berkeley side of the bay but works in the city. I saw this house and thought, "Hmmmmm, maybe it is time to revive the boarding house".

Take a look at this 6 bedroom 6.5 bath Russian Hill manse. It would make a wonderful boarding house and look at the views. 

With the right financial backer I think my granddaughter could be transformed into a 2019 version of Anna Madrigal.

California Dreaming...

A Mother's Role - Encourage and be Critical

Karl Lagerfeld

“When I was 14 I wanted to smoke because my mother smoked like mad,” he was quoted as saying. “But my mother said: ‘You shouldn’t smoke. Your hands are not that beautiful, and that shows when you smoke.’ ” ~ Karl Lagerfeld

Throwback Monday

George Washington

Father of Our Country

I'm going to pretend I am still a kid again when we celebrated George's birthday with cherry pie and tales about how the Father of Our Country could not tell a lie when confronted, axe in hand, by his father,  "George, did you chop down this cherry tree?"

He could have been America's first king, but instead he chose to step down after serving two terms as President. He also escaped an assassination attempt and that would have been a whole other story.

We had two holidays in February. February 12 was Lincoln's Birthday, giving Republicans a day to hold fund raising dinners and talk politics. 

February 22 we got cherry pies and mattress sales. Then it was decided it would be nice to honor Martin Luther King Jr. and his birthday is in January. So a February day got swapped out since banks can only be closed ten days a year.

So here we are. February is Black History Month but without any holidays, just history when they get around to talking about it. Washington and Lincoln get smooshed with all the other's for President's Day. And you are not allowed an axe in the White House.

She's back...

When I checked my watch I couldn't believe that my last post was in August 2018.  A lot has happened since then while at the same time nothing much has changed. It just depends which window you look out from.

I am just trying to find the best possible way to cope and I know I am not alone. Millions of us are trying to cope. Breathing in and Breathing out is a pretty good place to start. Sharing how you feel and knowing you are not alone is important.

We have to replace the noise in our world with music. It's not an impossible thing to do but you have to be persistent.

For me writing is my music. About anything really. Just being able to share how I feel about things, from movies to recipes to how roads are paved.

I have passions. If you read my old posts it's pretty clear what they are. So I am excited to be back with what I hope will be a daily post on something. And I hope you will take time out of your day to read my blog.

Thanks.