I’m not very interested in what I have to say lately.
There’s just something about February. It’s a short month, but marks the start of every-other-week columns and cartoons for Bicycle Retailer and Industry News.
Too, the weather is often inhospitable, which can be a problem when shooting video for Adventure Cyclist.
And every so often we find ourselves adjusting to a New World Ordure, which can be irksome.
So, yeah. Apologies, but I’ve been taking a few continuing-education courses at good ol’ STFU.
While in residence I read a 1955 interview with James Thurber in The Paris Review. Thurber — an FBI target dubbed “prematurely anti-fascist” by Red-hunters — was discussing what he called “this fear and hysteria” of that period in American history and how it was affecting his writing:
“It’s hard to write humor in the mental weather we’ve had, and that’s likely to take you into reminiscence. Your heart isn’t in it to write anything funny.”
Speaking of stormy mental February weather, I see King Donald the Short-fingered is to address the multitudes this evening. P’raps instead of watching that excremental extravaganza we shall borrow a teenager from one of the neighbors, immerse ourselves in some novel off-the-cuff and inconsequential lies as a change of pace.
Or maybe we’ll re-read “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.”
Mad Blog Media 
Tapokita tapokita tapokita…
Dude could sling the old word count, could he not? Even if he had to make a few up.
A lot of words just to say depressing! Me too.
Gah, etc. You make it to McDowell this year, Chazbo? I thought about it, and then I thought again. Couldn’t quite find a window to jump out of.
Some german humour to cheer the mood: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-39102198
Oh, yeah, good stuff that. Herself showed me a couple of those. I’m telling you, mockery is the thing. Beelzebozo can’t abide the mockery. Let’s poke him with sharp sticks until all the bullshit leaks out.
Continuing in that vein, have you seen #OrangeBeatles: “I wanna grow my hands! I wanna grow my haa aaa sands. I wanna grow my hands.”
https://twitter.com/hashtag/OrangeBeatles?src=hash
i’ve never been a big fan of february but this year it has been pretty nice. it was almost 70 degrees this morning. on sunday we did a 35 mile gravel road ride and even though it was a bit chilly i ended up with a sunburn. my sinuses are going haywire.
Seventy will do. That’s just about my favorite temperature.
Sinuses likewise on fire here, thanks to the wind, junipers, dust and general dessication. I’d think about going to the beach, but from the sound of things out California way, if we just wait long enough, the beach may come to us.
just hop on i-10 heading east. pensacola has seriously world class beaches for a fraction of the price of california. also miles of forest roads that need exploring.
I’ll be on my way out there Friday. 10+ day forecast looks pretty good but I’ll be heading back via NAHBS in less than a week. Meanwhile, wonder if Orange Julius Caesar will call “fake news” on his pals over at FAUX NEWS regarding that “Swedish defense and national security adviser”?
Pollen, wind, endless progression of winter storms, wind, cold, and more wind just make February stink to high heaven. And the stink coming from DC makes it all the worse. It smells like shit. And me, I look…………
How about a little Louden Wainwright?
Hee, and also haw.
The weather wizards advise that “lightweight objects may become airborne” in today’s gentle zephyrs. I don’t think I have much to worry about. Beyond looking like shit, that is.
Today’s “Fresh Air” show is about artistic genius folks and depression. See, if you weren’t so damn smart and talented, you would be happy all the time. I would have said good looking too, but we both look like shit.
Who says there is nothing funny to write. This could provide material for a while – or not.
— The Republican chairman of the House Intelligence Committee has chosen to unabashedly carry water for Trump, instead of doing any meaningful oversight. Karoun Demirjian reports: “Devin Nunes made clear (during a press conference yesterday) that he is more interested in nefarious reports published in the news media than in alleged contacts between the Trump team and Russian officials, saying the focus of the House’s probe would be on information leaks — which he called ‘major crimes.’ ‘As of right now, I don’t have any evidence of any phone calls. It doesn’t mean they don’t exist … What I’ve been told by many folks is that there’s nothing there,’ Nunes said. This is the first time a leading House Republican — in this case, the lawmaker who is spearheading the investigation in the lower chamber — has said flatly that he has not seen evidence of inappropriate communications between Trump aides and Russia.”
I think a coordinated effort between Russian intelligence agencies and Trump’s campaign are likely. Why shouldn’t two oligarchies get along well?
Some light reading.
http://www.commondreams.org/views/2017/02/10/fake-news-not-new-and-huxley-not-orwell-messenger
Gee, that’s not encouraging, but enlightening. Thanks, Khal. You back on the bike now?
Yeah, February always pushes me to the end of my rope. I’m feelin’ it too.
But… Looking at the calendar, if we can all just hold on til March 13th, daylight savings will save our February blues. It can’t come fast enough 🙂
Bad news on the doorstep
I couldn’t take one more step.
Ahh, 1st of March, NZ is now officially sliding down into Autumn.
Being on vacation, I trimmed the hedges, rode my Pugsley & my Raghley Blue Pig.
Steel!
That’s right, 4130 Steel!
Jest like tanks & Battleships & shit!
Steel!
None of this recycled beer cans or plastic crabon shit!
Steel!
Jest like the Good Lord Hisself intended!
Ya’all have a great day, Ya’hear!
When I return to the source, turn what’s left to ash, put it in an urn made of Reynolds 853, and stick it on a shelf in the bike shop.
There you go Pat.
My wish is that they take my ashes to the top of Mt Eden on a windy day & then just throw me up into the wind.
Got to love living in Godzone