...Live, from Maricopa County...it's...

It's what?  Well, it's Friday afternoon, anyways.

Yes, I'm writing to you from beautiful Surprise, AZ.
But before we move on, I thought this was interesting:

That's me on the right, in an image from a random thumbnail for a video I posted, like, two years ago?  If I were to draw comparisons...and of course, I wouldn't...I might say that these are nearly mirror images.  Coincidentlly, that is.  And that one is from me comically attempting to speak Espana and the other being from someone who speaks Espana attempting (and I think, succeeding) to be comedic.  Let's take a look, again!

I'm happy to report that I've lost some weight since I made this video.  I think.  I stopped weighing myself though.  Why put myself through that stress?  I figure, if I look in the mirror and I don't think I look overweight, then all is right with the world.  But the camera really does add "ten pounds."  I guess we'll see with my next video.  The above video was filmed at the height of Covid when I was indulging myself in late night cocktail soirees.  I went through a martini phase.  My husband called them my "Kitty-Cat Cocktail Parties" because they transpired in the wee hours when he was in bed, so it was just me and the cats.  It started to get a little hairy--or should I say, furry?  And by the time I impaled the ball of my thumb with a steak knife while I was loading the diswasher I had to pause and take stock.  I quit everything, cold turkey.  A reset.  I'd already quit smoking.  But boy am I ready to take them all up again, after this past Tuesday!
​And I know I'm not alone.
Yes, I'm in Maricopa County, a ground zero of sorts, isn't it, for what's going on nowadays?  Surprise, AZ, which is where my in-laws live and I'm visiting with the hubs.

Now, I am not a political commentator.  Nor am I a  political satirist.  But I do find myself in this ground zero and I am an observer.  What I'm observing and/or feeling is a sense of..."okay, we got what we wanted, let's pretend nothing bad is going to happen and move along."  I mean, people aren't out here dancing in the streets, or flying their Trump flags in spontaneous motorcades; or shooting off their guns like the Texan from The Simpsons:

Oh, it's OCD being the punchline of a joke again.  Whatever.  Make fun of it.  I know I do.  Helps to take its power away.
But we digress.
One of my family members, as we were watching the election results, was going on at length about the dire days ahead.  That now the U.S.A. was pretty much going to be a subsidiary of Russia and/or China.  And I can't say I disagree.  I've had my eyebrows raised ever since I learned Trump was going to Russia for "business opportunities."  My husband was also asked if we had an "escape plan" in place, what with us being gay and still relatively young.  That was kind of a shock; but again...I think on some level a lot of us are thinking this.  
But here's the thing I don't think Russia realizes.
The Power of Humor.
Because the Russians don't have humor.  Both the concept itself; it's manifestations in the real world; and the sense to realize what is and isn't humorous.  Particularly, what IS humorous.  Which is a long way of saying: THEY DON'T HAVE A SENSE OF HUMOR.  And they don't.  I'm sorry.  They don't.  Okay, maybe Yakov Smirnoff?  But he's Ukrainian.  So, ah...that's a big NYET.

Or how about this?

I hope he didn't pay a college for this.
I don't know if the following fellow is Russian; but he does mention suicide in his breakdown for what it takes to be a Russian clown, which I think is somewhat telling:

I'm just gonna leave that right there.
And speaking of comedy.
Am I the only American who thinks The Andy Griffith Show was not only not funny; but super creepy as well?  I will only watch it if Goober is on and that's only because I think he's hot.

Which, I'll admit, some might find...questionable.  My taste in men is, shall we say, resoundingly ecclectic.  He sings too!

I bet he tasted sweet too!
Okay, I'm starting to sound like a Russian clown.
Did you know he was in the running to play Mr. Spock?  Well he was!

Okay, well...
Now, as far as the greater Phoenix area goes; I don't get it.  It's like the moon out here.  But people just keeping flocking to it.  Every time we visit, hundreds of houses and stores and structures have gone up; sort of this instantaneous grafting of AMERICAN CONSUMER CULTURE onto this landscape that has no water.  It's so...American.  Or should I say, Russian?
No. Not nyet.
Hang in there everybody; 'cuz like it or not, we're all in the same boat.


CFR   11/8/24