Maudlin?

Happy Saturday morning, and a Happy National Lazy Day – Question to my three or so dedicated readers. You’re probably wondering what would happen should I fail to write. This thought came to me after our local EMT crew rolled (via gurney) one ‘dear soul’ out of our building.

I guess it’s time I came clean. What if since, say, starting with the recent June 1st post The Ramblings had been written by ‘AI’ (Artificial Intelligence). All created by ‘AI’ down to my quirky grammar stuff. So, how should we proceed? AI to infinity? Or Dirk to some finite point in time. It’s truly a maudlin thought, isn’t it?

A thought which, at this early hour, will require a mug of fresh coffee.

Temperature – The high temperatures combined with high humidity are about to disappear. Sure, we’ll bounce in and out of some short heatwaves, but I am beginning to plan for a long and very pleasant Fall season.

105 miles distant – lies the Ohio County of Scioto. Our Hamilton County (Cincinnati) is 105 miles from Scioto. Here in the ‘Nati we have at our beck and call anything that the 21st century offers; best of medical, educational, entertainment, music events, sporting, and recreation, opportunities galore.

Order groceries on line, certainly and delivered when? Yes, thank you. Dinner to your doorstep? Sure.

All to ease and enhance our lives. But, that’s life for most of us.

Then, only 105 miles to the East lies Scioto County. It sits in the midst of Ohio’s Appalachian area. An area as poor as any, and opportunities as bleak as any.

Watch the attached YouTube. Follow the work performed by this young man. This fellow was brought up Amish, left the Amish and now as plies his trade – delivery service for pre-built sheds and the nasty work having to Repo often the same ones. View the attached YouTube and you’ll be shocked when you realize that this was filmed in 2024 and in one of the world’s wealthiest nations.

Stay with the video till near the end to listen to the words from this former Amish man.

VEEP chooses VEEP – I must confess that many years ago I enjoyed the old “Mad” Magazine. One of the first ‘go-to’ pages was always the ‘Spy versus Spy’ cartoon.

This week teenage humor has finally become reality. The inane bungling from the pages of Spy versus Spy has now not only entered real life, but by many has taken on a level of reverence.

I realize the fit isn’t 100%, but the comparison just struck a note.

“The time is now. What can be, unburdened by what has been“, vp Kamala Harris.

One of Germany’s Music Noir’s best, Bodo Wartke, has a wonderful song, “Yes Dear”. These lines from that song I see as being part of our latest VEEP vs VEEP as vp pick Walz starts to see his true role in his new relationship:

“Yes, dear! You’re absolutely right!
Yes, dear! No, there’s no need to fight!
Yes, dear! I must learn to compromise
Yes, dear! I apologize!”

The Olympics and our time – It weren’t until 1948 when the Olympics made a dramatic turn. You see, the ancient Greeks saw the contests as presenting the best of muscle and mind, the arts and the athletic.

When under the vision of Pierre de Coubertin the ancients Greek Olympic arts were to be revived (1896) it was all athletics. However, Coubertin pressed on with his vision and Poetry as well as accompanying arts were finally included. These were all part of the modern Olympics until 1948 when the ‘mind’ and ‘arts’ was dropped for just all ‘muscle’ and ‘athletics’.

However, time march on, we’ve now begun to award ‘rusty’ Bronze medals (true, but they’re being reworked).

BLINK 2024 – Requires to keep your calendar open the days of October 17 through 20, 2024. BLINK 2024 is truly a spectacle to be seen, heard, and savored. It’s an unforgettable four-day, 30 city block, outdoor art experience that unites street art, projection mapping and light-based installations. Back in 2022 it drew 2-million people.

Life is AMAZING!

May Peace prevail! Shalom.

Dirk

BONUS POINTS:

Which song begins with the lyrics; “Hello darkness, my old friend….

1) Bohemian Rhapsody
2) Like a Rolling Stone
3) Imagine
4) Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I die
5) The Sound of Silence
6) Three Times a Lady
7) Desperado