Tuesday, 11/10

 Geez. Just how many people watch the show?

I was on TV this weekend. That in itself is not a big deal; after all, the show that I host for WNMU TV airs (when it's on) every Saturday night. However, I made a bonus appearance on another station a Sunday morning, and I'm amazed by the amount of people who mentioned they saw me on it.

Especially because I totally forgot doing it. But in my defense, I shot it the day before Election Day, and it seems like that was, what—eight months ago?

8-)

The show in question is “The Ryan Report”, whereas Don Ryan sits down and speaks with important and/or interesting people. I'm guessing he's run out of those type of people with whom to speak, because I was on the show, but we spent 15 or so Zoom minutes talking about radio, history, and the other TV show I host. And even though it's on at 730 on a Sunday morning, when a sane person should still be in bed drooling the drool of the righteous, I've had half a dozen people mention they saw me on the show, which means they were all awake at that hour AND watching “The Ryan Report”.

Who knew?

First of all, I'm glad everyone enjoyed it. I'm glad my babbling didn't cause you to throw things at your screen, and I'm sure Don appreciates the fact that you didn't turn it off halfway through looking for something better to do, like removing that one last piece of lint stuck between your toes.

So thanks.

Secondly, just how many people are awake and watching TV that early on a Sunday? It kind of blows my mind, because I personally would never be awake at 730 on a Sunday and, therefore, unable to watch TV. However, I'm just one person, and I'm apparently not normal in that regard. Apparently, a lot of people are up at 730 on a Sunday morning, and, apparently, there are quite a few of them watching “The Ryan Report”.

Once again, I guess I'm so far outside the mainstream that it's not even funny. Go figure.

Anyway, thanks for the kind words. All I did was stare into my laptop camera and answer a few questions, so it didn't require too much effort on my part. I'm glad the end result, though, made such an impression on the people who watch the show.

And apparently, that's quite the big number!

(jim@wmqt.com)

(ps—if you're curious to see what it's all about, here's the link—https://www.uppermichiganssource.com/2020/11/09/ryan-report-november-8-2020/ )

Monday, 11/9

 Free at last. . .free at last. Thank God almighty, we are free at last!!

I hope Dr. King doesn’t mind me appropriating the words from an old spiritual that he himself borrowed 57 years ago, but now that the never-ending saga of this year's American Presidential election is over, that’s kind of how I feel. No more talking heads, no more slowly rolling over vote totals, no more bizarre press conferences, no e-mail inboxes filled with messages asking for contributions to this candidate or that cause, and most importantly, no more turning on your favorite media source and seeing endless conjecture, speculation, and filling of time with whatever they can up with until more real news can be reported. It's over.

So exhale a sigh of relief. You made it, and you deserve it!

Of course, now that it’s over, now what? Whenever there’s a big, transformative event—be it on a large scale, like yesterday’s election, or on a much more personal scale, like a birth or a wedding or a graduation—we tend to realize, if only for a fleeting moment, that the curtain is coming down on one act of our lives, while at the same time rising on the next. There’s a “before” the event, and an “after” the event. Now, we’re living in the “after”. Our lives go back to normal. Of course, after last night, that means that just over half of the population will be happy with their “normal” while just under half of the population won’t be, but at least whatever lingering uncertainty we’ve been facing has been removed, at least for a little while.

So I guess we next turn our attention to what the holidays will be like during the age of Covid. And then to the snow we know is on the way. And then to a new year. And then to a spring, and a summer, and another fall. And by then, next fall, a year from now, you’ll hear the first rumblings about the 2022 Congressional elections, and everything that’ll bring with it.

Enjoy your peace while you can.

8-)

(jim@wmqt.com)

Friday, 11/6

 Wow. I didn't know anyone would actually take it seriously. But I'm glad it's helping out.

Election Day, of course, I posted pictures of pretty things to help, if even momentarily, take a reader's mind off of the stressful events of the day, if even for a second. Then the day after, I did the same. And the day after that.

And that brings us to today.

Daily blog reader Kayley of Marquette says she didn't realize it, but the pictures have given, to quote her, “a little peace on on her daily trip through social media”. I'm happy to hear it. I mean, I'm not happy to have to had to do it, but I'm happy it's having an effect.

So Kayley, and everyone, once again this is for you--

By the next blog, Monday, we get to return to normal (we hope). So on that note, have yourself a great and stress-free weekend. And if you're around Marquette, enjoy the almost summer-like weather!

(jim@wmqt.com), wearing shorts to work today!

Thursday, 11/5

 Wait. It's still NOT officially “over”?

Wow. Good thing I take a lot of calming pictures.

I know this is another one of those times when, in a few years, we'll look back on it and say “that election was SO 2020”, but come on. If you do the math you know how it's turning out, and it seems like we're just one state away from knowing the winner. As much as I'm surprising myself by saying this, math doesn't lie. It is what it is. If enough votes get counted today it should be over.  Of course, I've been wrong about that before, so maybe you shouldn't put too much faith in that statement.

8-)

Okay, one more picture for one more moment of zen.--

 

It'll be over soon. Really, it will. Just hang in there!

(jim@wmqt.com)

Wednesday, 11/4

Wait.  It's still not over yet?

Much like the Coronavirus itself, the 2020 election is the gift that keeps on giving. Onerous laws and the slow counting of ballots means that seven states (at the time I'm writing this, around 8 am) haven't yet reported full results. If you listen to the experts and dive into the numbers you have a idea of what will eventually happen, but until then we're left with uncertainly and appeals for calm and threats of lawsuits.

Ain't America grand?

So as I did yesterday I'll pass along what I hope is moment of calm in a sea of chaos, threats, and yet another history defining moment that 2020 has passed our way.

Not that we needed another one of those, but I think that this year we don't get much of a choice in the matter.

Stay sane, 

(jim@wmqt.com)

Tuesday, 11/3

 Well, you made it. Welcome to Election Day.

Because I know everyone seems to have been on roller-coaster of feelings, ranging from anxiety to disgust, lo these past 18 months, I am going to offer nothing political today. In fact, to help cleanse your palette, knowing that science shows people actually become calmer when looking at flowers, here's what Marquette had to offer at various times this past summer--

Marquette offered a mix of magenta & purple--

A little yellow--

Every single color the human eye can see--

And even a rose or two for good measure--

And a few funky things, as well, including someone to felt a little artsy--

Turtles with hats on--

Someone keeping his eye on you--

And someone else who's also probably glad the election is almost over--

So there you go. If you need a break from watching the election results roll in tonight, these pictures will be here.

It's the least I could do.

(jim@wmqt.com)

(ps—it's finally over!!!!!)

Monday, 11/2

 Why does my phone think I'm a giraffe?

I don't know if this has happened to you, but it's happened to me. I downloaded the latest update for my phone a week or so ago. I'm always kind of loathe to do updates; for some reason, the people who put the updates together decide they always wanna change the layout of the phone, how the programs work, and add and delete apps on a whim. Still, I know it's important to keep your devices up to date, so I usually grin and bear it.

One of the changes on the latest update is on the text message page; for some reason, my phone now wants to assign a picture or a letter to each person on my contact list. For the people sending me messages, it's the first letter of their name. When Loraine sends me something, she's represented by a big “L”; when my Mom does, she's a big “M” (because she's in my phone as “Mom” and not “Darlene”, something my phone is apparently not smart enough to know). The last time the phone updated it asked me for a picture so my photo would pop up next to what I wrote whenever I replied to or sent a text, but because I never do what everyone else does I refused to do it. Every time I sent or received a text I was just represented by a “J”.

Well, apparently the latest update of my phone didn't like that. Apparently, the latest update of my phone was determined to make me do what I didn't want to do. Apparently, the latest update of my phone took one look at me and knew exactly what it was going to do.

The latest update of my phone has replaced the “J” that used to indicate me with a picture of a giraffe. And no, I have no idea why.

I mean, I know my “phone” doesn't have a mind of its own. It just does what its programmers tell it to do. For all I know, EVERYONE with my particular phone and particular operating system (at least those that never put a personalized picture up) has had their “J” replaced with a picture of a giraffe. But I just find it funny that someone who on the tall side and who inherited his grandfather's long and gangly limbs has a generic “J” replaced with a picture of the animal to whom he most bears a resemblance.

I'm sure it's just a coincidence. Although these days, with all privacy and hacking concerns you have to deal with, and with the growing specter of artificial intelligence, you never know.

So now I have a dilemma. Do I cave into my phone's peer pressure and and actually give it a picture of myself, or do I just leave the picture of a giraffe as the representative of all I am and ever will be? On one hand, I do value my individuality and wouldn't want to cave into my phone's pressure, just because everyone else is seemingly doing it. On the other hand, do I wanna be a giraffe for the rest of my life (or until at least the next time my phone updates)? That's a hard choice, and one that may require some thought.

Unless, of course, I pursue a third option—going out and buying another phone, one that won't turn me into a giraffe. That would be worth however many hundreds of dollars it would cost, right?

8-)

***

Before I go I have to wish my favorite brother in the world a happy birthday. Since he's my ONLY brother he wins that title by default, but it's still his big day today. So if you happen to see someone who looks like me, only slightly taller and (ahem) with a lot less hair, his name is Marc.

Wish him a happy birthday.!

(jim@wmqt.com)