‘Here Me Out’

Today's post contains a list of things that bother and/or inspire me.

‘CURMUDGEON MODE - ENGAGE!!!’

In no particular order, let's get to it:

That’s me in the highlight.

.

'Walk-off win celebrations in baseball' - I know what it's like to win an exciting baseball game. In fact I was on the winning team of the Little League World Series in 1970. Although not a pro game, that's pretty f-ing big-time. That being said, the one and only time we piled on each other in celebration was when we won the championship game and even then it felt a bit awkward and forced.

Cut to major league baseball - we're currently in the first third of the 2021 season, there's a lot of games left, no game can be all that important or meaningful, yet if there's a walk-off win, these grown men clump together, jumping up and down like teenage girls for God know what reason. It's kind of embarrassing and foolish, IMO.

Why is this happening, you ask? My thinking is initially MLB strongly suggested that teams do this for the spectacle and video sparkle for ESPN and now it's firmly engrained in player's DNA.

I think it's silly, over-the-top and slightly undignified. I know it won't go away, but I don't have to like it.

PS: it's okay for teams to do this during the play-offs.

'Bidets' - I never had a bidet, never used one and then the pandemic hit. The ensuing toilet paper shortages forced me to consider methods of conservation - one was to ask my kids to use the fold, not bunch technique of TP usage (I'll not go into detail) the other was to get a bidet and severely curtail the use of TP. My concern was cost, the last time I priced a bidet, they were in the hundreds if not thousands. Surprisingly, a search on Amazon yielded quite a few kits that were under 100 bills. The idea was you could retro-fit your toilet with this simple add-on bidet. So I bought two (one as back-up), NOT from Amazon but strangely enough from Newegg.com. Two days later and a modicum of pluming on my part and our family was ‘bidet-friendly’.

NOW was the time for the maiden voyage - I, as the head of the family took on this responsibility. I entered the 'test chamber' did what I came to do and slowly turned the water feed knob until contact was made. Let me tell you, despite the water being cold, the experience was strangely enjoyable and the results were completely satisfactory. A simple test wipe to confirm the job had been done and I was a bidet convert

EU socialist leader Udo Bullmann

This was a revelation, there was nothing uncomfortable or bizarre about the whole process. It was quick and clean. And the idea of reaching down with paper and laboriously wiping one's grunge with often less-than-thorough results seemed barbaric. I was sold and I am forever going forward a committed proponent of bidet use.

If you've never tried it, get over your hang-ups or presuppositions of having water sprayed up you bung-hole and give it a try. I doesn't make you gay, a liberal or a European Socialist, it just makes you lean, clean and bluesy.

Nuff said.

'Teenage Zombies' - I teach high school, on a daily basis and I am witness to teenage behavior. I love my job and I think our young youths are the bees knees - they are for the most part well-intentioned, worldly-wise, politically active, kind and open to change and I think they point towards a hopeful future for our coming generations. I really do!

That being said - they are f-ing 'Phone Zombies'. At any moment these kids have free time they don't sit and chat with their friends, no they immediately go to their phone and go into isolation mode. ALL OF THEM, not just a select few. They are so tuned into their phones that even when I walk into one of our Cohort lunch rooms and say loudly "you're all zombies, talk to each other!!!" I get no response, they continue to be transfixed to their phones.

There will be occasional inter-personal exchanges but they are short. Some kids will be playing games, some will be sharing/chatting on social media, some will be checking their news feeds. All opt for the distant escape of their phones. IMO, it's sad - its the one aspect of this generation's behavior that concerns me most. That being said, we'll see how this bears out over time. For all I know they'll become the most gregarious, friendly and socially non-awkward generation ever.

There's more that I could rant about but my rant-engine need refueling.

Please let me know what you think about these topics and feel free share what bugs you in the comments below.

Cheers!